Churchill Downs Update and Stakes Advances: Multiple Graded Stakes Winner Hit Show Headlines $600,000 Clark on Black Friday

Nov 22, 2024

Wathnan Racing’s multiple graded stakes winner Hit Show headlines a field of 10 older horses entered in Friday’s 150th running of the $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II), the premier race of the Churchill Downs Fall Meet.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Clark is slated as Race 11 on the 12-race Black Friday card with a post time of 5:48 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, Hit Show enters the Clark on a three-race win streak with victories in the Fayette (GII), Lukas Classic (GII) and West Virginia Governor’s Cup (GIII). The 4-year-old son of Candy Ride (ARG) has earned more than $1.2 million in his career with seven wins in 14 starts. As a 3-year-old, Hit Show finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and followed with a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (GI), just 2 ¼ lengths behind winner Arcangelo. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will ride Hit Show in the Clark from post No. 6.

Hit Show will be joined in the starting gate by his undefeated stablemate Most Wanted, owned by Gary and Mary West. The 3-year-old colt has won all four of his career races, including a front-running victory in the Ellis Park Derby and a one-length triumph in the Oklahoma Derby (GIII). Jockey Florent Geroux will be aboard from post 5.

Among the other accomplished challengers entered in the Clark is Lucky Seven Stable’s Rattle N Roll, an eight-time winner trained by Kenny McPeek. The 5-year-old son of Connect has been highly regarded since he was a 2-year-old, winning the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland. Since that victory, Rattle N Roll’s resumé includes wins in the Oklahoma Derby (GIII), Ben Ali (GIII), Pimlico Special (GIII) and Blame (GIII). Rattle N Roll returned to racing two months ago when he finished third in the Lukas Classic (GIII). Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the mount from post 7.

Other notable entries in the Clark include Crupi, runner-up in this year’s Whitney (GI); Red Route One, winner of the Cornhusker (GIII); and Uno Mas Bourbon, victor in the Super Derby.

The field for the Clark from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

·        Bolzy (Frankie Dettori, Donnie K. Von Hemel)

·        Grand Aspen (Gerardo Corrales, Jonathan Thomas)

·        Crupi (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher)

·        Piroli (Edgar Morales, Michael McCarthy)

·        Most Wanted (Geroux, Cox)

·        Hit Show (Gaffalione, Cox)

·        Rattle N Roll (Hernandez, McPeek)

·        Red Route One (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)

·        Cooke Creek (Luis Saez, Mike Maker)

·        Uno Mas Bourbon (Francisco Arrieta, Ian Wilkes)

The Clark is one of two stakes on Friday’s card, which also features the $300,000 Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies on turf. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a 2025 Churchill Downs calendar sponsored by Humana.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering platform of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

 

POOLSIDE WITH SLIM LEADS FULL FIELD OF 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES IN GRADE II, $300,000 MRS. REVERE – Poolside With Slim (IRE), winner of last month’s Valley View (GII) at Keeneland, headlines a full field of 12 3-year-old fillies plus three also-eligibles entered in Friday’s 33rd running of the $300,000 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 1/16-mile on turf, the Mrs. Revere is the co-featured race on the card and will go as Race 10, one race prior to the $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (GII). Post time for the Mrs. Revere is 5:18 p.m., with the Clark scheduled to go off at 5:48 p.m.

Owned by Bo Bromagen, Patrick Lewis and Sandra Bromagen, Poolside With Slim sports three wins from eight starts, including a decisive 1 ¼-length score in the Valley View and a gritty head victory in the Penn Oaks at Penn National in May. Trained by Rusty Arnold II, the talented filly by Churchill (IRE) will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, breaking from post No. 12.

Her challengers include several proven and promising fillies, such as Pin Up Betty, winner of the Regret (GIII) earlier this year at Churchill Downs; Pharoah’s Wine, the runner-up to Poolside With Slim in the Valley View and Kehoe Beach, who enters the Mrs. Revere following two dominant allowance victories.

The field for the Mrs. Revere in post position order (with jockey and trainer):

·        Dancing N Dixie (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mark Casse)

·        Buchu (Irad Ortiz Jr., Phil Bauer)

·        Kehoe Beach (Frankie Dettori, Wesley Ward)

·        Pharoah’s Wine (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans)

·        Chilled (Luan Machado, Vicki Oliver)

·        Pin Up Betty (Brian Hernandez Jr., Mike Maker)

·        Minoshka (GB) (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)

·        Neon Icon (Julien Leparoux, Arnold)

·        Pounce (Florent Geroux, Mark Casse)

·        Simply In Front (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally)

·        Maxisuperfly (Abel Cedillo, Eric Foster)

·        Poolside With Slim (Velazquez, Arnold)

·        (AE) Adrasteia (Albin Jiminez, Fergus Bogle)

·        (AE) Breezing Along (Evin Roman, Anna Meah)

·        (AE) Sanctify (Julio Felix, Hutch Holsapple)

The first of 12 races Friday is scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on TwinSpires.com, the official wagering platform of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

 

SALUTE TO KENTUCKY OAKS WINNER THORPEDO ANNA SCHEDULED FOR BLACK FRIDAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Fans at Churchill Downs on Black Friday will have the opportunity to honor one of the brightest stars in horse racing, Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner and one of the favorites to win 2024 Horse of the Year honors.

The standout 3-year-old filly will be paraded in the Churchill Downs paddock during Race 7, from approximately 3:30-3:50 p.m. Thorpedo Anna will join the field for Race 7 during the walkover to the paddock and remain there throughout the race, giving fans a unique opportunity to celebrate her historic campaign up close.

Owned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing, Thorpedo Anna has assembled a dazzling resumé this season under the guidance of trainer Kenny McPeek. Her dominance in the 3-year-old division includes Grade I victories in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn Stakes, Coaching Club American Oaks, Cotillion Stakes and most recently, the Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) against older females at Del Mar.

 

DOWN THE STRETCH – Racing resumed Friday at Churchill Downs for a 10-race program that had a first post of 1 p.m. The Derby City 6 Jackpot swelled to $144,887 and began in Race 5. … Jockey Tyler Gaffalione took off his mounts Friday but hopes to return to the saddle Saturday. … Jockey Julien Leparoux had two mounts in Races 4 and 7 on Friday’s card to continue his pursuit of 3,000 wins. The veteran rider entered the day one win away from the milestone. … The season 10 finale of “Inside Churchill Downs” will air Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN 680/105.7. The one-hour show will preview the action on Saturday’s card plus give an advanced look at some of the Thanksgiving week stakes fields. Those outside the Louisville area can listen live on www.espnlouisville.com.