Run Classic's big Beyer looms over Tinsel

Run Classic will be looking to win the first stakes race of his career Saturday in the $200,000 Tinsel at Oaklawn Park – but he already has a following.

The son of Runhappy turned heads in October, when he won a second-level allowance with a Beyer Speed Figure of 105.

“I got a lot of feedback after that race,” trainer Bret Calhoun said.

The performance could make Run Classic the favorite over a field that includes millionaires Last Samurai and Silver Dust. The Tinsel is for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. The race will share a card with the $150,000 Poinsettia, a 5 1/2-furlong stakes for fillies and mares that drew Grade 3 winner Carribean Caper.

In between the stakes, a first-level allowance route features the return of Barber Road, the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby who ran in two legs of the Triple Crown.

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Run Classic is part of an eight-horse field that includes six stakes winners, among them King Fury, Bal Harbour, and Hozier. Run Classic is a winner of 3 of 6 starts for Tom Durant and earned the triple-digit Beyer two starts ago at Keeneland. He won off by 8 1/4 lengths, at about seven furlongs.

“It was a ‘wow’ race,” Calhoun said. “He was extremely impressive. I don’t know if you ever expect to run that big of a figure. We’ve always thought highly of him.”

Run Classic has made one start since, and finished second by a head in a third-level allowance route Nov. 13 at Churchill Downs. He set a contested pace after breaking from the inside and was caught by a closer.

“The last race was kind of a gut punch,” Calhoun said. “It was very disappointing, went suicide-type fractions. He had a horse outside of him press us the whole way. I’m not disappointed in him. He ran a courageous race. You just hate to lose those kinds of races. The track was tiring that day, as well.

“I don’t think anybody lost any confidence in him off that race.”

Run Classic will break from post 3 under regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr.

Carribean Caper is back racing with fillies and mares in the Poinsettia after finishing fourth in the Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 24 at Fair Grounds. It was her first start since August – although she had been set to run in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America on Oct. 8 at Keeneland.

“We had to scratch off the program there with a temperature, and then we didn’t have a place to run her again,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “That’s why she ran against the boys at Fair Grounds. She likes the track.

“She ran a really good race. She totally needed the race, physically and mentally. I feel like that race set her up. She’s got some recency. That race put her on her toes.”

Carribean Caper launched her career last winter at Fair Grounds and won a maiden-special sprint by eight lengths. She reeled off four more victories, including the Grade 3 Dogwood at Churchill, and overall has a 5-for-7 record for Columbine Stable.

Colby Hernandez is the regular rider of Carribean Caper and has the mount from post 2.

Others making up the eight-horse field include Grade 3 winner Pretty Birdie.

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