Ride On Curlin poised to get stakes win

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ride On Curlin has accomplished a good deal in his 13-race career. He’s placed in six stakes, including runner-up finishes in the Preakness and Arkansas Derby, and has earned $751,287. But a stakes win has been elusive, and that is something Ride On Curlin will be out to accomplish Saturday when he starts as the probable favorite in the $100,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

The Essex, for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles, has drawn eight, including Golden Lad, the winner of last year’s Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn who invades from Gulfstream Park; Rocket Time, chasing his fourth straight win in a streak that includes the Tenacious at Fair Grounds; and Code West, the winner of the Governor’s Cup at Remington Park.

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“It’s a tough race,” said Billy Gowan, who trains Ride On Curlin for Dan Dougherty. “It’s a good measuring stick to see where we are the rest of the year.”

The meet’s first 10-race card also includes an optional $50,000 claiming allowance that drew nothing but stakes winners, including Gentlemen’s Bet, Hogy, and Unbridled’s Note.

Essex Handicap (Race 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Ride On Curlin (Last 3 Beyers: 93-103-87)

◗ He was up for a head win over pacesetter Ali’s Birthday in an allowance sprint at Oaklawn on Jan. 15, his first start since the Belmont Stakes. Ride On Curlin closed from next to last to cover six furlongs in a quick 1:10.40.

“He broke in a little bit of a tangle, and once he got rolling, he ran his race,” Gowan said. “He’s got that good kick, and he showed it. That was a pretty good horse he outran. He’s pretty fast, and to run him down, that was a good sign for my horse.”

◗ Ride On Curlin will be moving back to two turns for the Essex.

“I think he’s better going a mile, a mile and a sixteenth, a mile and an eighth,” Gowan said.

◗ Jon Court has the mount from post 7.

“We’d like to stalk a little bit and pounce on the end,” Gowan said. “That’s what we’re hoping.”

Golden Lad (Last 3 Beyers: 92-71-98)

◗ He comes off a fifth-place finish to Donn runner-up Lea in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream on Jan. 10. The start was Golden Lad’s first since May, and he dueled through six furlongs in 1:11.60.

“He had trained exceptionally well going into his last start,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He left the gate in a bit of a hurry and ran himself into submission. I think we’ll see a different horse this go-round.”

◗ Pletcher said there were a few reasons to target the Essex.

“He ran well in the Razorback last year, and we felt like timing-wise the race was a good fit,” he said.

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount for E. Paul Robsham Stables.

Return of Gentlemen’s Bet

Gentlemen’s Bet will be making his first start since running third in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in the seventh race. Ramon Vazquez will be aboard for trainer Ron Moquett in the six-furlong race.

“He had just a lot of multiple things, a foot issue, a little bit of this, a little bit of that,” said Harry Rosenblum, who owns Gentlemen’s Bet. “He spent a lot of time just kicked out. He’s doing exceptionally well.”

Gentlemen’s Bet was strong in his final breeze for his comeback, when he went a bullet half-mile in 47.60 seconds in company with Grade 3 winner Den’s Legacy on Feb. 8.

Rosenblum said his goal is to see the horse return to the Breeders’ Cup, with his ideal path there including starts in the Count Fleet here and the Vanderbilt at Saratoga.