11/26/21

   4  CD     Clark Handicap (GI)

$750.000   3yo&Up    1 1/8m  Dirt     Handicap Weights

It wouldn’t be a weekend of stakes racing without a half dozen dead-heats and we get one in the Clark Hcp (GI) here at CD as Jumbo Bite and Toxic Personality couldn’t be separated on the line.  Jumbo Bite closed from well back while Toxic Personality tracked the pace throughout this mile and an eighth main track stakes, but the photo just couldn’t separate them (even if I could).  The final running time was 1:47.39 over the Twin Spires oval, listed as Fast.  Home Spirit was a neck back in third with the same margin  to Mr Charming in fourth.  

The field got away from the gate with Home Spirit showing speed from the outside with General Obvious next to that one.  Cherokee Twins from the rail, Toxic Personality on his flank, then a gap to Charleys Latte, Mr Charming on the rail, then a gap to the trailing Catch A Buzz.

Making their way around the clubhouse turn and now nearing the backside with six furlongs to run, Home Spirit on the lead but caught three wide, General Obvious between horses and giving chase, down to the rail for Toxic Personality, then a gap to Mr Charming between Charleys Latte from the outside and Cherokee Twins on the inside of that group.  Another gap to Jumbo Bite and Catch A Buzz continued to be the back marker. 

The field continued down the backside and was moving into the far turn with three and a half furlongs to run, Home Spirit still showing the way, General Obvious inching up on his inside, then a length back to Toxic Personality on the rail, Mr Charming on his outside, another gap to Charleys Latte, back to the rail for Cherokee Twins, Jumbo Bite behind that one and Catch A Buzz could still see them all. 

Swing around the far turn and into the lane, now three sixteenths of a mile to run and General Obvious was now joined by Home Spirit, noses apart, down to the rail for Toxic Personality, Mr Charming on his flank, then Charleys Latte down the center, Cherokee Twins on the rail, Jumbo Bite swinging widest of all for the drive as Catch A Buzz continued to trail.

Moving down the lane and past the sixteenth pole, things were changing as Home Spirit had a narrow lead, Toxic Personality gaining up the inside and Jumbo Bite full of run down the far outside as General Obvious looked like he had enough.  There was a gap to the trailing trio of Catch A Buzz, Cherokee Twins on the rail and Charleys Latte. 

Now in deep stretch and to the finish… Toxic Personality had a short lead, Jumbo Bite closing in with every step, Home Spirit trying to find more and Mr Charming still with a chance… but as they hit the wire, it was a bang-bang finish with Jumbo Bite and Toxic Personality hitting the wire.  It went to a photograph and a dead-heat was declared…  Home Spirit was a neck back in third, with the same distance to Mr Charming in fourth.  Catch a Buzz closing to be fifth, then Cherokee Twins in sixth, General Obvious tiring to be seventh and Charleys Latte closed this one out. 

Jumbo Bite is a black 4yo gelded son of Ace On The River – Party Diva, by Revolutionary, and he was bred in LA by Greeko Holdem.  Acquired by Nakamura Stables for $74.730 at the June 2020 Auction, he now has four wins from seventeen starts and earnings of $505.470.  This was his first graded stakes win and came on a huge stage. 

Toxic Personality is a 7yo altered son of Smart App – Lady Jacks, by Jacks Indian, and he was bred by Mb Stables in FLA.   Acquired by Patterson Stables via Private Purchase for $24.060, this was his seventeenth win from forty-four starts and he now shows lifetime earnings of $797.980.  I’m sure the connections are thrilled that this one wasn’t nabbed out of that claiming race at SAR last out.  

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast         Time: :47   1:10²  1:34⁴  1:47¹
$1 Exacta: 1 – 5 Paid 20.80, 5 – 1 Paid 32.30            $1 Trifecta: 1 – 5 – 8 Paid 124.90, 5 – 1 – 8 Paid 174.50
Scratched: None

Jumbo Bite rated back well off of the pace, began to move forward through the turn wile taken widest into the lane, continued to close, up for the dead heat in the final strides.  Toxic Personality settled in just behind the pace with an inside trip, cut the corner into the lane, continued to gain getting a short lead inside the sixteenth pole, dead head for the win.  Home Spirit set the pace 3p to the furlong marker, headed, continued on well while drifting out down the lane.  Mr Charming taken back after the break, up to race mid-pack into the back-stretch, 3p down the lane, out-kicked late.  Catch A Buzz trailed into the lane, passed tiring rivals.  Cherokee Twins flashed early foot, tired.  General Obvious pressed/set the pace to the lane, tired.  Charleys Latte wide trip, outrun. 

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES