Double Ours set to fire in featured optional claimer

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Double Ours could be poised to fire a peak race Thursday, when he takes on the comebacking stakes winners Den’s Legacy and Rivers Run Deep in the eighth race at Oaklawn Park. The second-level allowance at six furlongs has a claiming option of $40,000. Others making up the 10-horse field include Walt and Condo Closing, both of whom placed in Oaklawn stakes last year at 3, and Power World, who has been racing at Aqueduct.

Double Ours enters Thursday’s race off consecutive on-the-board finishes in a pair of $62,500 optional-claiming sprints at Churchill Downs in November.

“I think he’s set up for a big effort,” said Brad Cox, who trains Double Ours for Bryan Foster. “He’s coming out of some tough races at Churchill. He has a good post position, some really nice works over the track, and it’s good timing between his last race and this race.”

Key contenders

Double Ours (Last 3 Beyers: 90-91-91)

* He’s won races on the front end, but in his most recent start, he closed for second over 6 1/2 furlongs Nov. 30 at Churchill.

“He doesn’t have to be on the lead,” Cox said. “I think there’s a little speed in there [Thursday], and he can sit off of it. He’s tactical. He’s not one-dimensional.”

* Double Ours was a $25,000 claim from a six-furlong race he won Sept. 13 at Churchill, with Cox taking the horse on behalf of Foster.

“I ran against him last year at Oaklawn, and he always figured one of the horses to beat,” said Cox.

* Jesus Castanon has the mount from post 8.

Rivers Run Deep (Last 3 Beyers: 85-91-92)

* He’s chasing his fourth straight win after taking a trio of Ohio-bred stakes between Aug. 17 and Nov. 8. All of the wins came at the six-furlong distance he will travel Thursday.

* Rivers Run Deep figures to be prominent, perhaps setting the pace or tracking Walt, Z Big Apple, and possibly Right Now Richie, who is seeking to become the fourth next-out winner from a Dec. 6 stakes at Hawthorne.

Den’s Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 75-75-81)

* A Grade 3 winner earlier in his career, he comes to this region from Southern California.

* He will be making his first start since October, when seventh in a $62,500 optional claimer over 1 1/8 miles on the grass at Santa Anita.

* Den’s Legacy is a candidate to develop into a stakes starter later in the meet at Oaklawn, said trainer Ron Moquett.