Trademark Hangs a Nose on First Mission in the Clark

Nov 24, 2023 Darren Rogers

In a fierce battle down the stretch under the lights Friday at Churchill Downs, BBN Racing’s 4-year-old gelding Trademark emerged the winner in the 149th running of the $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II) by prevailing in a tight head-bob photo with 6-5 favorite First Mission.

Trademark, who collected his first graded stakes win and became racing’s newest millionaire, clocked 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.95 under jockey Fernando De La Cruz, who rode the winner for trainer Vicki Oliver.

The lofty first prize of $357,600 lifted Trademark’s earnings to $1,055,865 from a record of 6-3-1 in 22 starts.

New York invader Film Star, on the outside, and 3-year-old Lexington (GII) winner First Mission, along the rail, raced in tandem on the lead through the first six furlongs in quarter-mile fractions of :23.27, :47.97 and 1:12.45 as Trademark relaxed just behind the duo while pinned inside by Giant Game who tracked from the outside.

Leaving the final turn, First Mission put away Film Star and took the lead at the top of the stretch, but De La Cruz tipped Trademark out three-wide when a hole opened and he hit his best stride. First Mission had a half-length advantage with a furlong to run but Trademark was surging and caught the leader with a sixteenth of a mile to run. Trademark poked his nose in front in the final 100 yards but First Mission fought back along the rail and a photo at the finish had to determine the narrow winner.

“I thought at the sixteenth pole I had a big shot at winning,” De La Cruz said. “He relaxed early and I saved ground, just waiting for the right opportunity to get him outside. He’s always been a very nice horse. I’ve been on him a couple of times and knew he was pretty tactical in his races. He showed a big turn of foot in the stretch and fought all the way to the wire.”

First Mission’s trainer Brad Cox said: “He ran a huge race. I thought he was very game fighting back at the wire. We’re proud of how he ran.”

Prior to the Clark, Trademark finished a disappointing seventh of eight as the 2-1 favorite in the $310,538 Fayette (GII) on Oct. 28 at Keeneland after finishing second, a head behind Clapton, in the $438,660 Lukas Classic (GII) at Churchill Downs in September.

Trademark had won two prior stakes events but both were ungraded: the off-the-turf $300,000 Commonwealth Turf at Churchill Downs last fall and July’s $102,725 Michael H. Schaefer Memorial at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The Clark was Trademark’s fourth win in six starts over the Churchill Downs main dirt track.

“We knew he loves this track and he sure showed it tonight,” Oliver said. “He’s run some of his best races here which gave us confidence going into the race. He doesn’t like to be inside horses and I think when Fernando got him outside that was a big key to get him to show his best run.”

Trademark, the 13-1 betting choice, rewarded his backers with mutuels of $28.20, $10.24 and $5.96. First Mission, with Luis Saez up, returned $3.90 and $2.78. Il Miracolo, under Tyler Gaffalione, was another 5 ½ lengths back in third and paid $4.22 to show at odds of 6-1.

Blue Devil finished fourth and was followed by Gasoline, Film Star, Straight Arrow, Giant Game and Stage Raider. Happy American was scratched.

Stage Raider was never involved after he bungled the start and spotted the field several lengths.

Trademark is a son of Upstart out of the Creative Cause mare Creative Trick who was bred in Kentucky by the late Brereton C. Jones.

“He’s had a long campaign this year (nine starts),” Oliver said. “We’ll see how he comes out of the race but the Pegasus (GI) could be an option next year.”

The Clark, named for Churchill Downs founder Col. M. Lewis Clark, was run for the first time in 1875 during the first racing meet at Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been renewed annually without interruption since its first running.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Saturday with a 12-race program that begins at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern). The 97th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) – a “Prep Season” race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby – and the 80th running of the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) for fillies are the headliners on the penultimate day of Churchill Downs’ 21-date Fall Meet. Billed as “Stars of Tomorrow II,” each of the 12 races is exclusively for 2-year-olds that may have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next spring’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

HEAVENLY SUNDAY WINS BY FIVE IN GRADE III, $298,250 MRS. REVERE

Heavenly Sunday, who made her first career start on dirt after eight previous starts on turf, rolled past pacesetter Callie’s Grit at the top of the stretch and widened her margin inside the final furlongs to win Friday’s 31st running of the off-the-turf $298,250 Mrs. Revere (Grade III) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs by five lengths over Beach Walkin.

Owned by William B. Harrigan’s Miacomet Farm, Heavenly Sunday ran 1 1/16 miles on a “fast” track in 1:44.69 to collect her second graded stakes win. Florent Geroux rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox.

The field was reduced from 12 entries to nine starters when turf racing was seized for the final three days of the Fall Meet after track officials were not satisfied with the turf course’s condition.

Heavenly Sunday banked the $178,800 first prize and rewarded her backers with $2 mutuels of $4.82, $3.76 and $3.08 as the 7-5 betting choice.

“She’s always worked well on the dirt so we thought she’d handle things just fine,” Cox said. “When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we’ve always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”

Breaking from post No. 9, Heavenly Sunday raced just off the tail of pacesetter Callie’s Grit, who set fractions of :23.95, :48.81 and 1:13.32 during the early stages of the race. Heavenly Sunday pulled her way to the front leaving the final turn and drew away down the stretch while geared down late for the comfortable win.

“We sat a great trip,” Geroux said. “She’s a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”

Beach Walkin, at odds of 14-1 under Luan Machado, paid $12 and $7.24. Make the Boys Wink, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third at 10-1 and paid $4.66 to show.

Callie’s Grit, Neecie Marie, Safeen, Sabalenka, Financial Advice (FR) and Cha Cha Tap completed the order of finish. Hay Stack, Bling and Watch This Birdie were scratched.

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Heavenly Sunday’s earnings to $708,683 from a record of 4-2-2 in nine starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Heavenly Sunday did finished second to Surge Capacity in the $299,375 Vallet View (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 27. Earlier this year, she won the $500,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Heavenly Sunday is a dark bay or brown daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Alien Giant who was bred in Kentucky by Randal Family Trust.

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

CLARK QUOTES

Fernando De La Cruz (jockey, Trademark, winner): “I thought at the sixteenth pole I had a big shot at winning. He relaxed early and I saved ground, just waiting for the right opportunity to get him outside. He’s always been a very nice horse. I’ve been on him a couple of times and knew he was pretty tactical in his races. He showed a big turn of foot in the stretch and fought all the way to the wire.”

Vicki Oliver (trainer, Trademark, winner): “We knew he loves this track and he sure showed it tonight. He’s run some of his best races here which gave us confidence going into the race. He doesn’t like to be inside horses and I think when Fernando (De La Cruz) got him outside that was a big key to get him to show his best run. He’s had a long campaign this year. We’ll see how he comes out of the race but the Pegasus (GI) could be an option next year.”

Brad Cox (trainer, First Mission, runner-up): “He ran a huge race. I thought he was very game fighting back at the wire. We’re proud of how he ran.”

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Florent Geroux (jockey, Heavenly Sunday, winner): “We sat a great trip. She’s a pretty versatile filly with her running style. She worked like she would handle the dirt fine and did.”

Brad Cox (trainer, Heavenly Sunday, winner): “She’s always worked well on the dirt so we thought she’d handle things just fine. When she started her career we put her on grass and because she did so well we’ve always kept her on it. She was impressive today and can give her another option moving forward on dirt.”