Escape Clause facing toughest test yet in Red Carpet Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – Wins at Assiniboia, Canterbury, Northlands Park, and Century Downs preceded Escape Clause’s victory via disqualification at Del Mar on opening day of the fall meeting Nov. 9. She’s won nine straight, and it’s been a great run, but never has she been tested as she will Thursday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap, the feature on the Thanksgiving Day card.

Escape Clause will be trying 1 3/8 miles, a distance she’s never raced, and will be facing the toughest field she’s gone against, most notably course and distance specialist Vexatious.

Escape Clause is the best story. And she’s certainly overcome the odds before, posting an 18-1 upset when put up in the Kathryn Crosby. But let’s talk turkey. Gamblers have to play with their head, not their heart, and it is Vexatious who likely will be favored to gobble up the winner’s share of this turf race for fillies and mares.

Vexatious won going 1 3/8 miles on turf during the Del Mar summer meet in the CTT and TOC Stakes, and in her last start she won via disqualification going 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland.

“She got pushed over three paths,” said Neil Drysdale, who trains Vexatious for Calumet Farm. “It was a legitimate DQ.”

In between those two runs, Vexatious faced males in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer going 1 1/2 miles at Woodbine. She was well off a soft pace and finished seventh of 10.

“She had a bad trip in Canada,” Drysdale said.

Seven others are entered in the Red Carpet, including Lucy De, who developed into a graded-stakes-class performer earlier this year but has not raced since April.

The Red Carpet goes as race 6 on an eight-race card that begins at 11 a.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Vexatious, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-89

◗ She has really come into her own since racing 11 furlongs and beyond. Her pedigree suggested as much. Her older full brother Destin won the Grade 2 Marathon going 1 3/4 miles on Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar in 2017, and he lost the 2016 Belmont Stakes by a nose to Creator.

Escape Clause, by Going Commando
Last 3 Beyers: 88-81-89

◗ She made a successful transition to turf in the Kathryn Crosby, but this field is tougher. Still, all she has done is continue to overachieve, and a horse with nine straight wins and who is 18 of 25 overall has to be seriously respected.

Lucy De, by Decarchy
Last 3 Beyers: 85-86-89

◗ Trainer Richard Baltas said there was no serious reason why she was off seven months, saying she just needed to be freshened.

Pantsonfire, by Sir Percy
Last 3 Beyers: 85-88-85

◗ The second entrant for Baltas in this race, she tailed off during the summer but fits with these if she runs back to her third-place finish in April in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara at Santa Anita going 1 1/2 miles.