Chocolate Ride picks up where he left off with allowance win

Chocolate Ride was the best grass horse stabled at Fair Grounds last winter, winning the Fair Grounds Handicap and the Muniz Memorial, and he picked up this meet where he left off with a sharp allowance win Friday.

Chocolate Ride got a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in winning by three lengths and running 1 1/16 miles on a quick-playing grass course in 1:41.85, 0.01 seconds off String King’s course record. Making his first start since finishing seventh in the Turf Classic back in May at Churchill Downs, Chocolate Ride stalked the pacesetter, took over, and drew off to win comfortably in what trainer Brad Cox deemed “a perfect first race back.”

Chocolate Ride clearly is a stronger, heavier horse than he was one year ago, and Cox hopes he will be at least as good as before his layoff. Chocolate Ride now will be pointed to the $125,0000 Colonel E.R. Bradley here on Jan. 16, though whether he runs back in the Fair Grounds Handicap in February or waits for the Muniz in March has yet to be determined.

“We’ll look at one race at a time,” said Cox. “We’re trying to campaign him all year, not just at the Fair Grounds.”

Cox has another graded turf stakes winner under his care in 3-year-old Almasty, who captured the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf last week at Churchill. Cox said he’ll consider running Almasty back here Dec. 26 in the $75,000 Woodchopper, a grass route restricted to 3-year-olds.

“We have to look at that race, but after that, though, I feel like this horse is due a rest,” said Cox.

** Money Flow, who has started his career with a pair of wins, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the featured seventh race on Thursday’s card. Money Flow has scored open-lengths wins at Evangeline and Delta but will be tested for class and stamina facing second-level allowance horses and $40,000 claimers in a dirt race at one mile and 70 yards.