Frivolous Likely to Defend Title in Falls City
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G. Watts Humphrey’s Frivolous is more likely to defend her title in Thanksgiving Day’s $200,000 Falls City Handicap Presented by TwinSpires.com (Grade II) at Churchill Downs than to face males in Friday’s $500,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI), the owner’s daughter and trainer Vicki Oliver said on Wednesday morning.
“Right now I’d say that we’re leaning toward the Falls City,” Oliver said. “The Clark field came up a bit tougher than I thought that it would. We also got a little more weight in there than I thought that we would. We’re only seven pounds on [high weight] Effinex. I’ll take a look at the past performances later on (before making a final decision).”
Should the 5-year-old daughter of Empire Maker’s swan song take place in the Falls City Handicap, she would be going for back-to-back victories in the race. Last year she scored a 19-1 upset victory in the Falls City over graded stakes winners Don’t Tell Sophia and Molly Morgan. She is the 122-pound high weight in the Falls City, seven pounds heavier than the 115 pounds she would carry against males in the Clark.
Aside from her Falls City triumph last year, Frivolous has scored two other stakes victories over the Churchill Downs main track when she spring a 32-1 upset in this year’s Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) in June followed by an eight-length romp in the Locust Grove in September as the 7-5 favorite. Most recently, she was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) at Keeneland.
The Falls City Handicap field (with jockey and odds) from rail out: Tiz So Sweet (John Velazquez; 5-1), Call Pat (Joe Rocco, Jr.; 6-1), Salama (Chris Landeros; 30-1), Needmore Flattery (Luis Colton; 50-1), Frivolous (Jon Court; 3-1), Ahh Chocolate (Brian Hernandez, Jr.; 12-1), No Fault of Mine (Robby Albarado; 10-1), Gambler’s Rose (Shaun Bridgmohan; 30-1), Birdatthewire (Corey Lanerie; 4-1), Montana Native (Channing Hill; 20-1), Theogony (Julien Leparoux; 12-1), Chide (Miguel Mena; 5-1), Pretty Fancy (Sophie Doyle; 30-1).
Source: Churchill Downs
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