Top five from Harrison Handicap meet again

The first five finishers from the $100,000 William Henry Harrison Handicap on June 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis return Wednesday for the $100,000 Nobody Listens Handicap.

In theory, they move into a more challenging spot. Both races are six-furlong sprints with Indiana restrictions, but the Harrison was open only to horses sired by Indiana stallions while the Nobody Listens carries an Indiana-bred requirement. Breeders in neighboring states don’t often send mares to Indiana stallions, whereas an Indiana breeder easily can send a mare, say, to a Kentucky stallion.

Mr Chaos, for instance, finished second by a neck in the 2023 Harrison and ran back in the Brickyard, which this year has been named in honor of last year’s Brickyard winner, Nobody Listens. A 7-5 shot in the Harrison, Mr Chaos finished eighth at 18-1 in the Brickyard.

Mr Chaos went one better and won the Harrison three weeks ago, and the field he’s part of Wednesday lacks the depth and strength of the 2023 Brickyard. Still, Mr Chaos – followed across the Harrison finish by Pickle Feet, C. J’s Storm, Zappinit, and Manuelito – might have his work cut out for him while giving two to four pounds as the 125-pound highweight.

Drawn on the rail is 7-year-old Chipofftheoldblock, an eight-time Horseshoe Indianapolis winner. He’s consistently faced stronger competition than what the Harrison presented and was fifth, a few places in front of Mr Chaos, in the 2023 Brickyard. Chipofftheoldblock exits his best race among four this year, a second-place finish in the $50,000 Skinner Stakes at Prairie Meadows. His morning-line price, 12-1, would be more than fair.

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Drawn alongside Chipofftheoldblock is Classic Max, 4-1 on the line and another plausible winner. Classic Max has thrown duds in his two Indiana stakes starts, but one was a two-turn contest too far for him, and the other came very early in his career. Mr Chaos took his measure in Classic Max’s lone start this year, an April 8 allowance, but had the better trip while pressing on the outside. Classic Max hasn’t started since but has kept to a steady workout pattern.

One race early comes the Nobody Listens sister race, the $100,000 Checkered Flag, a dirt-sprint handicap for older Indiana-bred fillies and mares. Carimba, 8-5 on the morning line, has the race’s best résumé but drew very poorly in post 1. A better horse on turf than dirt, Carimba prefers forward placements, and a host of other pace players drew outside her. Carimba taking back, eating dirt, and trying to make a move through traffic seems unlikely, and if she’s sent on a speed mission from the rail, it ought to draw the other early players into a taxing tempo.

Diamond Solitaire, Bluelightspecial, and Chandana stand the best chance to capitalize on a pace meltdown.

Diamond Solitaire, mainly a route horse during her career, has found a new niche as a closing sprinter, but her solid rallying win three weeks ago came in an Indiana-sired race.

Bluelightspecial might have the highest-level ability in the Checkered Flag but cuts back from a long string of two-turn starts and at this stage of her career is an unknown quantity sprinting.

That leaves Chandana, claimed this past December at Oaklawn Park for $62,500, her connections surely eyeing races like the Checkered Flag. Chandana failed to make a dent in the last two renewals of this race but has run fast enough in other starts to contend and appears to be primed for one of her better showings.

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