Night Ops closes strong for first stakes win in Essex Handicap

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Night Ops became a stakes winner under unusual circumstances Saturday, when he moved past the leaders in the stretch run of the $350,000 Essex Handicap for a 1 1/4-length victory over Snapper Sinclair. It was another half-length back in third to Pioneer Spirit.

The Essex was run before an empty grandstand, with no ontrack spectators admitted to the races. The policy was put in place for the weekend as Oaklawn – and other tracks around the country – navigate the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions individual states are beginning to place on gatherings like sporting events.

The Essex was the first of three stakes on an 11-race program that also featured the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel and Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri won by Serengeti Empress.

Night Ops ($15) came into the race off an allowance win over Sky Promise, who on Friday captured the $125,000 Temperence Hill at Oaklawn. Night Ops was content sit along the rail in the early stages Saturday, stalking Snapper Sinclair and Pioneer Spirit as the pair took the field through fractions of 23.86 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.51 for the half-mile, and 1:12.97 for six furlongs. Jockey Joe Talamo eased Night Ops off the rail on the final turn, and the horse closed through the stretch, overtaking the leaders and going on to win the 1 1/16-mile race in the slop in 1:44.09.

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“He has a big, huge stride,” said Talamo, who was coming off a stakes double last Saturday at Oaklawn.

One of the rider’s stakes winners last weekend was for Brad Cox, who also trains Night Ops.

Night Ops races for Steve Landers, a resident of Arkansas.

“He ran against some good horses,” Landers told Oaklawn publicity. “We’re lucky to be on top.”

Night Ops is a son of Warrior’s Reward who has had some close calls in stakes. He was second by a neck in last year’s $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational and this year was a close third in a division of the $100,000 Fifth Season on Jan. 25 at Oaklawn.

Night Ops earned $210,000 for his win in the Essex, which improved his career record to 5 for 16 with earnings of $554,356.

Night Ops gave Cox his second win in a local handicap this meet, behind Warrior’s Charge in the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback.