Clark Handicap Analysis and Results

by Patricia Woo | Nov 29 2010

A large field of 11 lined up for the $500,000 Gr. 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 26, including race favorite Successful Dan.

With Freddie Lenclud aboard, Regal Ransom went straight to the front of the 1 1/8 mile event with Duke of Mischief racing close by. Dubious Miss and Demarcation followed the leaders while Redding Colliery and Successful Dan, ridden by Julien Leparoux, raced further back. As the field rounded the first turn, Successful Dan jostled Redding Colliery, who was ridden by Anna Napravnik. The two collided again coming out of the final turn, with Successful Dan claiming the lead. Meanwhile, the duo of Giant Oak and Shaun Bridgmohan stayed out of trouble in ninth place for much of the race and chose a five-wide path to challenge the leaders coming out of the final turn.  Down the stretch, Successful Dan managed to hold off Giant Oak for the win – but after a 10 minute steward's inquiry, Giant Oak was awarded the win and Successful Dan was bumped down to third place for interfering with Redding Colliery entering the stretch.

Giant Oak's winning time was 1:50.82.

Also during the race, near the three-sixteenths pole, Demarcation – with Kent Desormeaux aboard – made a sharp move inward, causing Dubious Miss to stumble; for that interference, Demarcation, who finished the race in fourth, was demoted to last place. The order of finish, after both inquiries had been settled, was Giant Oak, Redding Colliery, Successful Dan, Win Willy, Duke of Mischief, Brass Hat, Apart, Regal Ransom, Stately Victor, Dubious Miss and Demarcation.

Giant Oak's win snapped a 14-race losing streak that dated back to May 23, 2009 – when the Chris Block trainee won the Arlington Classic Stakes at Arlington Park. He had shown improvement in recent races: Going into his fourth-place showing at the Breeders' Cup Marathon, he had settled for runner-up in his two previous races (the Gr. 3 Washington Park Handicap on the turf at Arlington Park on Sept. 4 and the Gr. 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup on the dirt at Hawthorne Race Course on Oct. 2). Earning $328,700 for the victory for owner Virginia H. Tarra Trust, Giant Oak boosted his career earnings to $956,677 and his record to 23-4-5-3. The 4-year-old son of Giant's Causeway will likely turn up next in the Gr. 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 26.

The disqualification loss for the Charles Lopresti-trained Successful Dan snapped his three-race win streak, and the 4-year-old son of Successful Appeal will close out his 2010 campaign with $225,851 in earnings and a record of 5-2-1-1.

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