Essex Handicap 2017: Odds and Picks
The Grade 2 Rebel Stakes isn’t the only race featuring a Bob Baffert shipper tomorrow at Oaklawn Park. On the undercard, Mor Spirit heads up the $250,000 Essex Handicap, going 1 1/16 miles for older horses.
Our editor, Brian Zipse, likes Shotgun Kowboy to show speed on the rail and run a big race. If Shotgun Kowboy follows through, he may be able to pull off the upset over the heavy favorite Mor Spirit. Essex post positions and morning line odds are below as seen on the HRN Stakes Tracker.
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Mor Spirit returned in great shape this year after finishing 2016 on a low note. Winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis, the Eskendereya ridgling picked up two more seconds before a disappointing tenth in the Kentucky Derby. He returned late last year to run fourth in the Grade 1 Malibu, but came back strong in this year’s Grade 2 San Antonio, where he was beaten late by stablemate Hoppertunity. Mor Spirit looks to be tough if he improves off his last race.
The Todd Pletcher trainee Madefromlucky is usually in the money, but he is seeking his first win since the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby in 2015. The son of Lookin At Lucky was most recently third in the Poseidon Handicap, finishing 4 ½ lengths behind a dueling Imperative and Stanford.
The horse with the best chance to upset the field likely is the Oklahoma-bred, Shotgun Kowboy. Owned and trained by C. R. Trout, the Kodiak Kowboy gelding comes into the Essex off two allowance optional claiming wins at Oaklawn. In both races he was on or close to the front, and breaking from the one hole should help put Shotgun Kowboy right where he needs to be.
By Christine Oser