Clark could be Einstein's final race

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Einstein, one of the major disappointments of the 2009 Breeders' Cup when he finished 11th of 12 in the Classic last weekend at Santa Anita, could get another chance to end his racing career on a more positive note.

Trainer Helen Pitts said Wednesday at Churchill Downs that Einstein is being seriously considered for the Grade 2, $400,000 Clark Handicap on Nov. 27. A 7-year-old owned by Frank Stronach, Einstein had been invited to run later this month in Japan, but the poor Breeders' Cup effort negated those plans, said Pitts.

"I wish I had an answer for why he ran like he did in California, but I don't," she said. "The good thing is, he came back super. I still have to talk things over with Mr. Stronach and his people, but my feeling is we're right here and it could be a good way to end things for him."

Einstein, an earner of more than $2.9 million, will stand at stud next year at Adena Springs. He arrived Tuesday from California and had an easy training session Wednesday at Churchill.

The 1 1/8-mile Clark is scheduled to be the next start for Macho Again, the West Point Thoroughbreds standout who defeated Einstein here in June in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap. Other notable Clark prospects include Quality Road, Dubious Miss, and Demarcation.

The Clark is one of five graded stakes that will end the 21-day meet, along with the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap on Nov. 26, the Grade 3 River City Handicap on Nov. 27, and twin Grade 2 stakes for 2-year-olds, the Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod, on Nov. 28. Nominations for all five races closed Wednesday.

Mrs. Revere lures full field

The turf-course limit of 14 starters will have to be invoked for the highlight of the coming weekend, the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes on Saturday. In all, 17 3-year-old turf fillies are entered in the $175,000 race, headed by Hot Cha Cha, winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in her last start.

Hot Cha Cha, trained by Phil Sims, was assigned post 7 in a very deep field that also includes other last-out Keeneland winners C.S. Silk (post 1), Striking Dancer (post 4), and Bluegrass Princess (post 8), as well as Miss World (post 3), a two-back winner of the Grade 1 Garden City at Belmont.

The Sunday feature at Churchill is the $100,000 Commonwealth Turf, the male counterpart to the Mrs. Revere. Both races go at 1 1/16 miles.

Swift Temper could run in Falls City

Swift Temper, bought back by owner Mark Stanley with a $2.05 million bid when the mare failed to bring her reserve price Tuesday at the Keeneland sales, already is back in her stall at Churchill.

Swift Temper, a 5-year-old Giant's Causeway mare, is a Grade 1 winner of nearly $1.3 million.

"We're just going to train on her a while and see what to do," said trainer Dale Romans. "We're looking at maybe running her in the Falls City, and that could tell us whether to keep going with her or make her into a broodmare."

Romans said that Tapitsfly, winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf for owner Frank Jones Jr., is being walked under tack daily and will "just take it easy until we send her to Gulfstream Park" sometime in December.

Big fields prevalent

Horseplayers who complain about short fields in other regions can have few beefs about what has been happening on the Kentucky circuit since Keeneland opened Oct. 9. Field size averaged about 10 horses per race at the 17-day Keeneland fall meet, and that trend continued through the opening week at Churchill.

During the first six programs since the Nov. 1 opening, field size averaged 10.33 horses per race, said racing secretary Ben Huffman.

"We're thrilled with how our cards have been coming together," said Huffman.