Churchill Downs news: Clark Handicap field taking shape
The field for the premier race of Churchill Downs' Fall Meet, the Grade 1, $500,000 Clark Handicap, is beginning to take shape.
The following horses are probable to enter the 1 1/8-mile test on Friday, Nov. 23, according to Churchill Downs Assistant Racing Secretary and Stakes Coordinator Dan Bork: Believe in Royalty (trainer Larry Jones); Bravazo (D. Wayne Lukas); Hawaakom (Wes Hawley); Hence (Steve Asmussen); Leofric (Brad Cox); Prime Attraction (James Cassidy); and Seeking the Soul (Dallas Stewart).
Weight assignments will be announced Saturday.
The Clark Handicap is the centerpiece of six graded stakes races that take place on Thanksgiving Weekend cumulatively worth $1.4 million in purses.
Other stakes races that week are: the $200,000 Falls City Handicap (G2) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on Nov. 22; $100,000 Cardinal Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Nov. 22; $200,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Nov. 23; $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 24; and $200,000 Golden Rod (G2) for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 24.
THIS WEEK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Only two weeks or 10 days remain in the 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs, and racing continued Wednesday for a five-day week beneath the Twin Spires.
• There was a $100,322 carryover in the Single 6 Jackpot on Wednesday (Races 5-10 starting at 3:03 p.m.). There also is a $20,501 carryover in the Super Hi 5 (Race 10 at 5:36 p.m.)
• Entries were taken Wednesday for Saturday’s featured race, the $100,000 River City Handicap (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf that was expected to feature multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood for trainer Brad Cox.
• Multiple graded stakes winner Streamline was installed as the 5-2 second choice on Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds as she faces five rivals in a conditioned allowance race on the turf Thursday. Jockey Chris Landeros, who won three races on Sunday’s program, has the call.
• G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s homebred Net is set to make her debut in Race 7 on Thursday for trainer Rusty Arnold II. The 2-year-old filly by Curlin is out of Humphrey’s four-time winning stakes mare Let, who most notably won the Churchill Downs Distaff Handicap (G2) -- now known as the Humana Distaff -- in 1999. Net is the half-sister to former Mrs. Revere Stakes (GII) winner Centre Court, who also was trained by Arnold.
MEET LEADERS – Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. began the week with a 9-8 win lead in the jockey standings over Edgar Morales and Ricardo Santana Jr. Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Florent Geroux were tied for fourth with seven wins. … Trainer Dallas Stewart had a slim 5-4 win win margin over Steve Asmussen, Brad Cox, Kenny McPeek, Bill Mott and Ian Wilkes ... Loooch Racing Stables held a 4-3 win lead over G M B Racing and Juddmonte Farms in the owners standings.