Clark Handicap Top Contenders

by Patricia Woo | Nov 22 2010

Apart, Successful Dan and Demarcation are among the 3-year-olds and up expected to contest the $500,000 Gr. 1 Clark Handicap on Saturday, Nov. 27, a 1 1/8 mile race held annually at Churchill Downs.

Apart is a promising 3-year-old trained by Albert Stall who has won three of his last three races. Improving with each victory, this son of Flatter has defeated all rivals in the Super Derby Prelude at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 28, the Gr. 2 Super Derby – also at Louisiana Downs – on Sept. 25 and the Gr. 3 Ack Ack Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. The Clark Handicap will be a step up in class for Apart, but his ability to grind out victories – like his Ack Ack score – suggests he will be up to the task. Apart is 4-1-0 from seven starts and has earned $469,878 for owner Adele Dilschneider.

Undefeated in two starts is Successful Dan, a 4-year-old son of Successful Appeal who has run most of his career on synthetic tracks – though he did win the Gr. 3 Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs in May 2009. In his latest start, Successful Dan utilized a strong finishing move to take over the lead and win the Gr. 2 Fayette Stakes by 3 lengths on Oct. 30 at Keeneland. Owned by Morton Fink and trained by Charles Lopresti, Successful Dan has  5-1-0 record from seven starts and has earned $301,439. He turned in a 5 furlong breeze in 1:00.40 at Keeneland on Nov. 20 in preparation for the Clark Handicap.

Looking to redeem a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Clark Handicap last year is Demarcation, a 6-year-old horse trained by Paul McGee. This Grade 3 winner has won at Churchill Downs before – an allowance optional claiming race on May 16. But he has had difficulty making the transition to a higher class of competition. After finishing fifth in the Gr. 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June, he did win the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at Mountaineer Park in August. His last two outings have resulted in runner-up finishes: he could not catch the leader in the Michael G. Schaefer Mile Stakes at Hoosier Park on Oct. 2 and was himself caught in the drive of the Gr. 3 Ack Ack Stakes on Nov. 5. This son of Gulch is 35-9-5-8 and has earned $544,410 for owners Amerman Racing Stables.

Others expected for the 2010 edition of the Clark Handicap: Brass Hat, Duke of Mischief and Our Dark Knight.

In 2009, Blame won the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, which served as a springboard to his thrilling victory in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic nearly a year later. Will we see another Clark Handicap – Breeders’ Cup Classic connection this year?

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