Clearly Now meets Ride On Curlin in Thanksgiving Handicap
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Hark back to 2011, when Gantry, recently purchased from East Coast connections, won the Thanksgiving Handicap for new owner Brittlyn Stable and new trainer Ron Faucheux. Gantry thrived away from stronger sprint competition back East and won the Thanksgiving again in 2013 while for years hitting hard in Louisiana sprint stakes.
In Clearly Now, Brittlyn and Faucheux have a horse they hope slots in similarly, if not better than Gantry in regional stakes. For three calendar years, the 5-year-old Clearly Now has knocked heads with some of the best sprinters in North America. He’ll be favored to win the $60,000 Thanksgiving Handicap on Thursday at Fair Grounds in his first start for Faucheux, and win it he will if he comes anywhere near his best form.
“It’s pretty much the same kind of scenario as with Gantry, looking for a sprinter to have hopefully for the next several years,” said Faucheux, who welcomed Clearly Now into his barn in late September. “Physically, Clearly Now just stands out. He’s one of the best-looking horses I’ve ever laid eyes on, and honestly, I haven’t seen a talent in my barn like this since Gantry came in.”
Steve Leving is the agent for jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., who will ride Clearly Now on Thursday. Leving also has a foot in the bloodstock business. He facilitated the Gantry purchase and did the same with Clearly Now.
Clearly Now will break from the rail in the six-furlong Thanksgiving with somewhat in-and-out 2015 form. He won well while facing allowance company when last seen in early September at Saratoga, and before that, he faced the likes of Rock Fall, Private Zone, The Big Beast, and Private Tale, among the best dirt sprinters in the world.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Clearly Now. Trainer Ron Faucheux is 12-1-1-2 with a $0.38 ROI over the past two years when adding blinkers in dirt sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“He should be in good shape for this race,” said Faucheux. “We had the Thanksgiving Handicap as our target since he was purchased, and we trained him for this race.”
Ride On Curlin, second in the 2014 Preakness Stakes, will be making his first start since May, and at his best, he appears to be Clearly Now’s most formidable challenger. After an encouraging start to his 2015 campaign, Ride On Curlin developed soreness and bruising at the base of his cannon bone and was turned out for two months after running up the track in the Alysheba Stakes, his second extended layoff since running in all three Triple Crown races two springs ago.
Trainer Billy Gowan said Ride On Curlin has trained well for his latest comeback, and while he is best known for his accomplishments in route races, Ride On Curlin won over 5 1/2 furlongs early in his career and rallied powerfully to win his 2015 debut in a six-furlong Oaklawn Park allowance.
“This looks like a good spot to start him out, and I think he’ll love that long stretch at Fair Grounds,” said Gowan. “He’s fit enough to win it now. He’s won going six furlongs, but not against this caliber horses. All I know is he’s got a hell of a kick.”
The Fair Grounds dirt, however, favored front-runners throughout three opening-week cards, and the Thanksgiving pace shouldn’t be burning hot. Control Stake looks like the pacesetter, while Officer Griffin and Nates Mineshaft should take up pressing positions. Speightsong, Solar Charge, and Rugged complete the field.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Ride On Curlin is 2 for 2 going route to sprint following a layoff of at least 45 days. – Mike Hogan