Rain may prevent Nobals from making 2024 debut in Garrett Handicap

No trainer took a harder hit when Churchill Downs Inc. shuttered Arlington Park in 2021 than Larry Rivelli, whose season revolved around the suburban Chicago racecourse. Even sans Arlington, Rivelli sent out 14 stakes winners during 2022 and again in 2023, but this year has brought greater struggle. Through July 2, Rivelli had only two stakes starters, neither of whom won, and Rivelli’s strong chance to get off the stakes duck, with Nobals in Friday’s $100,000 William Garrett Handicap, depends heavily on weather.

Nobals won the 2023 Garrett following his victory in the Grade 2 Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs and preceding a year-end tally in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. With an eye toward a Breeders’ Cup repeat, Rivelli has waited patiently to send Nobals back into action, but his plan to chart the same course as a year ago – going from the Garrett, to the Troy at Saratoga, and the Da Hoss at Colonial – has been met with an unfavorable weather forecast. Rain could fall at Horseshoe Indianapolis from Wednesday night through Friday afternoon, and Nobals won’t run should the Garrett wind up on dirt.

On turf, Nobals figures a shorter favorite than his 2-1 morning line while facing eight rivals. The Garrett, like the other such races in Indiana, is a handicap in name only, with Nobals and three other entrants carrying 125 pounds, the others 121. Horseshoe Indianapolis joined a coalition of tracks in 2021 that pledged to disallow Lasix in stakes races, a provision that doesn’t apply to handicaps.

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Five-year-old Nobals posted his first post-layoff workout April 21 at Rivelli’s Hawthorne base and since has breezed steadily.

“He’s doing great, better than ever, really,” Rivelli said. “He should win, but this race isn’t some kind of 1-9 walkover. Going five furlongs, things have got to go your way.”

Nobals won last year’s Garrett in front-running fashion. He won the Da Hoss from just off the pace, and in the BC Turf Sprint rallied from seventh. Gerardo Corrales, aboard in the BC Turf Sprint, has the mount, and if Rivelli’s assessment of the gelding’s current form holds true, Nobals won’t lose.

Mo Stash and Coppola could be shorter prices, but Charcoal stands a good chance of rounding out the Garrett exacta for the second year in a row. Charcoal had a May misfire at Horseshoe Indianapolis in his first race back from a winter break but returned to a more typical performance level with a close fourth June 8 in the Mighty Beau at Churchill.

Clarksville Handicap

It’s not that the breeder, owner, and trainer John Langemeier doesn’t appreciate his 6-for-12 win mark at the Horseshoe Indianapolis meet, but the Langemeier-trained filly Crosley took what he felt was an unjust disqualification six weeks ago in a $100,000 stakes race.

“Really should be 7 for 12,” Langemeier said.

Adding another win is in play Friday when Langemeier, who breeds and races as Spooky Hollow Farm, saddles Habuiah in the $100,000 Clarksville, a five-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares.

Five-year-old Habuiah’s 16-start career includes just one turf sprint, a close third in the 2023 Clarksville, where she earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure, 11 points higher than her next-best figure.

Following the Clarksville, Habuiah came back in a turf-sprint allowance that rained onto dirt. She finished sixth, came out of the race with a sore suspensory ligament, ran below her best last August, and didn’t start again until June 19.

Langemeier entered Habuiah in a Keeneland turf sprint allowance in April but had to scratch after the mare got sick. Langemeier subsequently entered her in several other similar races but Habuiah failed to get into any of them and finally made her 2024 debut June 19, winning a turf mile allowance at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

“I didn’t want her to do too much in that race,” Langemeier said. “I think she’s the best filly up there if I have her right, and she’s done just tremendously.”

Habuiah figures among eight Clarksville entrants and is one of two Indiana-breds in the race along with Rileys Redemption. Like Habuiah, Rileys Redemption runs fastest in turf sprints but has started in only a handful of them. Trainer Mike Maker claimed the mare in November, and in her first turf sprint for new connections she won a June 18 Horseshoe allowance by nearly six lengths, her 94 Beyer easily a career best.

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