Handicapper's Corner: Clark Handicap (G1)

Seeking the Soul Looking for Clark Repeat

By: Nicolle Neulist, Blinkers-Off

The Clark Handicap will be run at Churchill Downs this year, just as it has been every year since 1875.  The race is named after Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark, who started the Louisville Jockey Club along with his cousins, John and Henry Churchill.  (The name Meriwether Lewis Clark is no coincidence: he was a grandson of the very William Clark who went on the famous expedition with Meriwether Lewis).
 
The Clark was originally a two-mile race restricted to three-year-olds, though it was shortened in 1881 and opened to three-year-olds and up in 1902.  It has also been run at a variety of distances, as short at 1 1/16 miles.  It has covered today's nine-furlong distance for most of its history: 1896-1901, 1922-1924, and from 1955 to the present day.
 
Notable winners of the Clark, among many, include 1881 Kentucky Derby winner and inaugural Hall of Fame inductee Hindoo (1881), hard-knocking war horses Old Rosebud (1917) and Exterminator (1922), 1941 Triple Crown winner Whirlaway (1942), onetime Arlington stakes namesake Swoon's Son (1958), Hall of Fame inductee Silver Charm (1998), two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (2011), and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner (2016).  

This year’s edition of the Clark Handicap attracted eight colts and horses. 

The Clark this year drew no shortage of speed. Prime Attraction and Leofric, the frontrunning pair in the Fayette last month, will be joined by Loooch longshot and stretch-out sprinter Storm Advisory – and the other Loooch standardbearer, Sightforsoreeyes, won't be far behind.

This is great news for Seeking the Soul, who looks well set for the repeat. The son of Perfect Soul has kept his love of Churchill alive. Two starts ago he won the Ack Ack (G3), and he followed that up with a dogged second-place finish behind City of Light in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Now he stretches out to a mile and an eighth: not only the distance at which he won this race last year, but one at which he has two wins and three other money finishes in seven career starts. Seeking the Soul also has the right running style for this race: always off pace, but versatile as far as how far off pace he needs to be. John Velazquez judged it right when he rode Seeking the Soul in the Clark last year, and he should be able to get him going right on time this year, too.

Beyond him, there are a lot who can hit the board, but there's no one else who is easy to love on top.  With so much speed, it's hard to see a frontrunner closing the deal, but Leofric looks likely to stay on best of the bunch.  The grey son of Candy Ride can stay the trip, and found the frame in his only try at Churchill.  He has been on or near the lead whenever running against classier foes, but he has shown that he can rate of a lively pace, stay on even when it's not slow up front, and dig in gamely late.  That should be enough to make Leofric the biggest threat – if Seeking the Soul runs his best that may still only be enough for second money, but he should be fighting on.

Bravazo is another one who has a reasonable chance to run into the money.  The sole three-year-old in the field, he has also been the rare horse nowadays who is such a good fit for D. Wayne Lukas's desire to dance every dance, and keep coming back for more.  Bravazo was most recently third in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile – giving him tables to turn on Seeking the Soul, tables he probably won't turn because he is not as good a mile and an eighth horse as that one.  But, Bravazo has shown improving ability to sit off the pace as the year has gone on – something that should have him plugging on for a piece down the lane.

Selections:

#3 Seeking the Soul (8/5)
#5 Leofric (3/1)
#6 Bravazo (9/2)

Longshot:  There are two horses left to be discussed, both of whom have solid enough off-pace running styles.  There's Hence, who likes the distance just fine, but hasn't proven himself to be a graded stakes horse this year, even in as marginal a Grade 1 as this. 

With that out of the way, let's look to the other: #4 Hawaakom (15/1).  He has been hit-or-miss this year, but some of his better outings this year have been at Churchill.  He ran on for second in the Alysheba (G2) this spring, and though he ran fourth in the Stephen Foster (G1) in his next outing, he was only beaten a neck and a head for second.  Trainer Wesley Hawley has been firing well with limited chances this Churchill meet, with two wins in his first four starts this November.  With plenty of pace for Hawaakom to run down late, this is where the eight-year-old millionaire can find the frame once more at a price.