The Essex Handicap (Grade lll)

Purse $500.000 – For Four Year Olds And Upward

1 1/16 Miles – Dirt

Oaklawn Park – March 21, 2026

On Saturday at Oaklawn Park, the 6th running of The Essex Handicap brings together a compact but intriguingly diverse field of six older dirt males. The group ranges from graded stakes winners to a maiden victor. It’s worth noting Agent Zero will also be tested on a new surface, making his first career start on dirt. Mb Stables will look to secure a second win in this race after scoring with Twilight Flame in 2023, and another victory would put the stable alone atop the race’s all-time wins list. With such an assorted mix of contenders, The Essex Handicap presents an intriguing puzzle—one that begins with a closer look at each entrant.

1. Opera – (Maxmillion Farm, R E. Eramia) Stretches out in distance after eight straight sprint races. Opera broke his maiden going two turns at Saratoga, so I don’t think the mile and a sixteenth will be a problem. He comes out of The Fool Handicap at Aqueduct, running a decent fourth in a field of eleven. The only other route race this horse has run on dirt was in the Albuquerque Handicap back in 2024. It’s tough to say whether the distance will bring out the best in him, however recent workouts suggest this six-year-old is doing better than ever.

2. Agent Zero – (Mb Stables, J A. Torres) This gelding enters the race with eight career wins, all of which have come in turf sprints. Not only will he be trying dirt for the first time, but he’ll also be stretching out to two turns. Agent Zero exits a victory in the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs, where he rallied from dead last. He added a graded stakes win to his résumé last September after progressing through the allowance ranks. No doubt Mb Stables is taking a shot here, but his recent training activity at Aqueduct suggests the move may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

3. Sick Boi – (Royalty Stables, E. Esquivel) Privately purchased in 2024 for $225.000 and is seeking his first graded stakes win. Known for his closing style, Sick Boi regularly lags behind early and looks to make one run in the stretch. The best effort this horse has had was arguably in The Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs, where he just missed by a neck. Last time out, the son of Neon Wolf closed on the rail for an eye-catching second place in an open allowance. This race doesn’t have a lot of early speed, which is going to be a problem for him.

4. Twin Jet Engines – (Night Rider Stables, R A. Vazquez) Showed a change in tactics last time out, along with an equipment adjustment that could signal a new direction. This seven-year-old was claimed back in December after campaigning primarily in dirt sprints. Previously a need-the-lead type, he had been running almost exclusively at three-quarters. Night Rider Stables altered that approach in his most recent start, asking him to come from off the pace, and he responded with a strong runner-up effort. This isn’t an unreasonable spot—taking a chance in a short field makes sense, and he appears to be improving.

5. Tehran – (Mb Stables, L. Saez) This gelding by Silhoutte is a consistent performer who does his best running on the front end. Although he hasn’t won going two turns since 2024, his recent efforts suggest a top performance is well within reach. Tehran exits a strong showing at Fair Grounds, where he was narrowly defeated by a head. Before that, he was out finished late in the Forty Niner Handicap. Through 39 starts, he has earned $1222.110 with six wins. This is going to be my top pick as he projects to control the pace on the front end.

6. Call Sign Punisher – (TwinTowersRacing, J. Rosario) Takes a significant step up here after failing to make an impact last time out at Fair Grounds. Call Sign Punisher’s best efforts have come sprinting, and he remains largely unproven at longer distances. He’s another runner who will be coming from off the pace, but with limited early speed signed on, the setup does him no favors. He did finish third going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita back in 2024, but he hasn’t hit the board in similar spots since. It’s difficult to envision a scenario where he runs down this field in the stretch.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES