Rebel Stakes winner Hoppertunity and Besilu Stables Florida Derby winner Constitution join fellow 3-year-old and recent Discovery Handicap victor Protonico when taking on six older runners Nov. 28 in the $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.
The 1-1/8-mile season finale at the Louisville oval did not draw a star-studded cast such as last year, when eventual 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge bested multi-millionaire Game On Dude after both competed in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Only one runner is doubling back from the Breeders' Cup to the year-end handicap -- Prayer for Relief, who was 12th in the Classic on Nov. 1 and will make his third Clark bid after running ninth behind Wise Dan in 2011 and last of nine in 2013.
Still, many count the two top 3-year-olds in the field of nine among those who could have made some noise before they were forced to the sidelines earlier in the season.
Hoppertunity, who runs for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, was highly regarded on the road to the Kentucky Derby before quarter cracks and an ankle chip took him out of the race on the Friday before the Derby. The son of Any Given Saturday is a half brother to multiple grade I winner Executiveprivilege.
CLARK HANDICAP DRAW
Trained by Hall of Fame horseman Bob Baffert, Hoppertunity returned from the layoff Oct. 29 with a good second in a seven-furlong allowance. Before undergoing surgery in the spring at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, he was second in the Santa Anita Derby to eventual Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome. He will break from the rail under jockey Martin Garcia and an impost of 118 pounds, and turned in his final pre-race work Nov. 23 at Santa Anita Park, going five furlongs in 1:00 flat.
Constitution was also knocked off the Triple Crown trail in early 2014 after showing great promise for WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing. The Tapit colt won three in a row capped by his Florida Derby score, including a February allowance at Gulfstream Park by 3-1/4 lengths over eventual Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, but a hairline fracture in his right front cannon bone took him out of commission in April.
Trainer Todd Pletcher brought Constitution back Oct. 12 at Belmont Park in a 1-1/16-mile allowance, where he ran fourth behind fellow Clark rival Easter Gift. Javier Castellano, who has been aboard for each of Constitution's four starts, retains the mount as part of an assignment of 119 pounds. They will depart post 7.
Easter Gift ran third in last year's Clark for trainer Chad Brown but has had a rough campaign with just three starts since then. He was off the board in two stakes including the Monmouth Cup and only just got a win in that Oct. 12 event at Belmont. However, owner Robert LaPenta has kept his faith in the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, and sends him back to Churchill for another try.
Of the other older horses entered, Departing proves an interesting candidate still in search of his first Grade 1 win. The 4-year-old War Front gelding earned victories in the Super Derby, West Virginia Derby, and Illinois Derby last year, but could not break through at the top level when sixth in the Preakness Stakes.
This season Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's homebred runner was third in the Stephen Foster Handicap back in June for trainer Al Stall Jr., and he also ran second in the Homecoming Classic to Cigar Street Sept. 27 following an eighth in the Whitney Handicap. He comes off a second in the Fayette Stakes at Keeneland after missing by just a neck to another Clark contender, Pick of the Litter, the 9-2 fourth choice on the morning line.
Pick of the Litter and Departing share highweight duties; each will carry 121 pounds. While Departing was made the mild 3-1 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, Constitution and Hoppertunity are co-second choices at 7-2 on the morning line.