Clark Handicap (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
CD- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
November 23, 2018
There is plenty of racing to be excited about this weekend, and we’ll be running at the Grade 1 level on Saturday for the 15th edition of the Clark Handicap. This race will send our field nine furlongs around the main track at CD for one the top purses available in the game after the BC, and before the end of the year (only the Cigar Mile will be larger, coming in December). There are a couple in here who ran in the BC, including the third place runner in the BC Classic, Stranger, who will be the high weight at 121 pounds while starting on the far outside. Weights will range between 118 and 121, and eight of eleven are either 118 or 119 pounds for the race. Looks like an entertaining race is in store for us, so let’s take a look at the field!
#1- Seminole (On The Map Racing, ridden by J Rosario)- As this autogen gets set to start from the rail, it got me wondering when the last time I even saw an autogen in a race of this magnitude. Seminole was one of the gems, and he has quietly accumulated over $500.000 in his career. None of his four wins are at the graded level, though he did win the SSM Classic at the beginning of the year. He had been consistently running in the money until very recently. His last race saw him place ninth in the JC Gold Cup, a race that saw eight of its runners run in the BC Classic, so that may be a better line that it seems. Needs a big run.
#2- Evil Position (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by R J Albarado)- Snapped a long losing skid in his last race, right here at CD for the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap in late September. Prior to that, he looks quite streaky. The win snapped a cold streak of out of the money finishes, but before that he put together a series of solid runs where he did place in the top three. I shy away from picking these inconsistent horses, but he tempts be a little bit because I like that he comes off a win, and that could mean more good runs are in store, at least in the near future.
#3- El Gran Black (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- He had a decent amount of success for prior trainer, Luz International, before arriving at Mb Stables via a $47.500 claiming price in June. He had run in races like the Pacific Classic last year, but after a while, he was sent down to sprinting, didn’t fare as well, and ended up in the claimer. Mb Stables sent him back to going long, and that form came back as well as shown in the speed figures. This is a somewhat tough assignment for him, but not a complete stretch.
#4- Rumble (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by C J Lanerie)- Closing in on $1,000.000 in career earnings as he always seems to be near the front. Even when he is not winning, he seems to be within a length of it. Has four wins and seven in the money finishes for 2018, and that includes winning the Grade 3 Peter Pan this spring. The most impressive result though is his second place finish in the Travers (Grade 1) at Saratoga. Seems due for another win, and he is working well coming into the race.
#5 Lets Do It Big Boy (RNP Stables, ridden by J R Davila Jr)- Turned into a great acquisition by RNP Stables, landing this one in private sales in the middle of October for just $125.000. His next race would be the BC Turf, and consider how much others pay for BC runners right before the big race, that was a great purchase. What made it special was that finished third, and while he was not a threat for the victory, his consistent run got him a nice paycheck. Now, after a few weeks of rest, he makes his main track debut. That’s right, his entire 16-race career has been on the grass before this. All recent public works are on the grass, other then a three furlong dirt work, so impossible to get a feel for how he might go.
#6- A Storm Has Arrived (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by L Saez)- Right next to the one making his debut on the dirt is one that made a similar move in April, though for a much lower purse. It paid off for him, and the Chrystal Ball gelding has put together a couple of graded stake results that saw him placing in the top three, and within a half length. The storm has indeed arrived here, but this is a tough field, so he will have to unleash his strongest fury yet. Based on speed figures, he is trending in the right direction, and is an appealing play especially if his odds climb. Picking him on a bit of a hunch.
#7- Duke Or Earl (Gdp Inc, ridden by R Bejarano)- The horse that keeps making me double check to make sure I didn’t type Duke of Earl returns to the main track after a couple of grass starts himself. In August, he picked up an impressive win coming from behind to capture the Grade 2 DMR Mile. Didn’t follow that up well, though despite his tenth place run at the WO Mile, his race time was pretty similar. Not really sure what to expect out of him, quite honestly, seems like it can go either way. Worked very nicely here at the beginning of the month.
#8- Super Jack (Gdp Inc, ridden by E A Roman)- While this one has fared well in overnights, he has not been able to take the step up into stake territory quite yet. He has been agonizingly close, though, such as running fourth against strong company at the Grade 2 Brooklyn, missing by a length. Dropped into a NY-bred race at FL against three others and got the confidence boosting win he was sent there to get. His speed figures, in comparison to others here, seem just a tick off from what several others are running. However, things can still go his way if he gets a perfect trip.
#9- Made To Sin (John Henry, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Has five wins in 27 career starts, half of which I think I have covered in the SRF. Well, here he is again, and it is good to see that he has been able to have a lengthy career despite not really panning out as the TC threat that he was seeming like he would be. Recently though, there is not much to be excited about with recent race results. A couple seconds are in the mix, but most out of the money finishes of late. Picking him will likely be on name only, but he has shown he can fire off a big one, still. Might actually be due for it here.
#10- Kryptonite (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by P Lopez)- Comes off a win in his last start, which was an allowance at PRX about six weeks ago. There have been a couple stake attempts over the course of his fourteen race career, but he failed to hit the board in both of them. Overall, he has managed just two wins in his career, so he seems to be taking quite a jump in class here. Every now and then, we see this out of the trainer, and then the horse steps up to back up his confidence. This will have to be the next example of that, though. Speed figures in the low to mid 90’s, as he has earned his career so far, does not get it done here.
#11- Grounded In Reality- Scratched
#12- Stranger (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by A A Gallardo)- Three weeks ago, Stranger was right here at CD for the BC Classic, and ended up finishing third despite 36/1 odds. He’s actually fared quite well in his last four races, which also including winning the Grade 1 Woodward, and running third in the Grade Whitney, each at SAR. That 8th place run in the JC Gold Cup? That’s a battle scar, as that field sent eight horses to the BC Classic. Now, Stranger is anything but a stranger to the CD faithful, and I am not concerned about the three week turnaround. He is the highweight, and but not by an excessive amount. Starting on the outside is not ideal, but also not impossible. He won’t be 36/1 again.
Prediction: 6-12-4-7
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
