Clark Stakes 2021: Odds, preview, pace projection, more
Brendan Walsh will look for his first win in the Grade 1, $750,000 Clark Stakes when he starts Maxfield as the 6-5 morning-line favorite on Friday at Churchill Downs.
The 4-year-old Street Sense colt finished second to Art Collector in the Woodward (G1) last out and was runner-up to Knicks Go in the Whitney (G1) after wins in the Stephen Foster (G2) and Alysheba (G2). With those last two wins, Maxfield is undefeated in four starts at Churchill Downs. Jose Ortiz will get his fourth consecutive start aboard Maxfield.
Not far behind him in the early odds is Midnight Bourbon at 8-5. The 3-year-old Steve Asmussen trainee, who will face older competition for the first time, has not won in seven starts – all graded stakes – since scoring in the Lecomte (G3) in January. In those seven losses, Midnight Bourbon finished second four times, in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last out, the Travers (G1), the Preakness and the Louisiana Derby. (G2).
Joel Rosario will ride the Tiznow colt for the first time.
Dr Post, the third choice at 5-1, will be looking for his first Grade 1 win. Todd Pletcher's 4-year-old colt has two wins – in the Westchester (G3) and the Monmouth Cup (G3) – from five starts this year. Last out, he finished a length behind Maxfield in the Woodward under Irad Ortiz Jr., who has the mount again on Friday.
Pletcher also has Happy Saver in the race, with morning-line odds of 8-1 and Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. Unraced as a 2-year-old, he won all four of his starts last year. This year, he won an allowance at Belmont Park off a seven-month layoff then finished third in the Suburban (G2) and second to Max Player in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) last out.
Here is a look at the field for the 2021 Clark Stakes (trainer and jockey in parentheses) with morning-line odds:
1. Midnight Bourbon (Steve Asmussen, Joel Rosario), 8-5
2. Night Ops (Brad Cox, Florent Geroux), 15-1
3. Dr Post (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.), 5-1
4. Happy Saver (Todd Pletcher, Tyler Gaffalione), 8-1
5. King Fury (Ken McPeek, Brian Hernandez Jr.), 12-1
6. Chess Chief (Dallas Stewart, Joe Talamo), 30-1
7. Militarist (Carlo Vaccarezza, Rafael Bejarano), 50-1
8. Maxfield (Brendan Walsh, Jose Ortiz), 6-5
TimeformUS' pace projections show Midnight Bourbon, with Joel Rosario aboard, taking the early lead and early favorite Maxfield trailing under Jose Ortiz.
Analysis
Matt Shifman's full-field analysis identifies four win contenders and one live long shot.
Reinier Macatangay explains why he thinks no one matches Midnight Bourbon's class in this field.
And on the latest edition of HorseCenter, hosts Brian Zipse and Matt Shifman handicap the Clark and other top weekend races.