Einstein wins Clark Handicap. November 29th, 2008
Maybe Einstein should get a three-month vacation more often.
The 6-year-old horse stormed past heavy favorite Commentator to win the $400,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Friday, his first race since finishing a disappointing fifth in the Arlington Million in August.
That race was on turf, Einsteins surface of choice. But hes shown an affinity for the dirt at Churchillfinishing second to reigning Horse of the Year Curlin in the Stephen Foster Handicap in Juneand looked right at home as drove to the finish line 1 1/2 lengths ahead of a late-charging Delightful Kiss.
He deserves it more than anybody out there, said trainer Helen Pitts. Ive never had a horse that loves his job and loves to train and loves to run as much as he does. When he turned for home I knew hed dig deep down inside to find all he could to get it there. Hes a very special horse.
The win was Einsteins first graded stakes victory on dirt and his first win of any kind since taking the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day in May. The son of 1985 Derby champion Spend a Buck covered the 1 1/8 mile in 1:49.79.
Jockey Julien Leparoux, who set a track record for most wins during a Fall Meet earlier in the day, kept Einstein over Commentators shoulder until the turn then roared to the front as the favorite faded. Einstein had no trouble holding off Delightful Kiss, with Leparoux feeling so confident he started celebrating a few strides short of the finish.
Leparoux said the plan was to keep the front-running Commentator from getting too far ahead.
Commentator is a great horse, Leparoux said. If I gave (Einstein) too much to do, that would be tough.
It was a lesson learned during the Stephen Foster, when Einstein fell four lengths back early and couldnt quite close the gap against Curlin.
There were no such problems in the Clark.
Thanks to relatively slow early fractions, Einstein never trailed by more than 1 1/2 lengths and had little trouble responding when Leparoux asked for him. The win was Leparouxs fifth of the day and 59th during the tracks Fall Meet, breaking Pat Days record of 55 wins set in 1985.
Its not bad, Leparoux said with a laugh.
Pitts called Leparouxs ride nearly flawless, unlike the Arlington Million when Einstein stumbled out of the gate under Robby Albarado and never threatened.
Einstein broke cleanly in the Clark and looked refreshed after his three-month break.
Commentator, looking for his fifth win in six starts this year for trainer Nick Zito, went off as the 2-5 favorite and raced to the front. Its a style thats served the 7-year-old gelding well during his career but he tired while carrying 124 pounds, five pounds more than Einstein.
It just wasnt his right race, Zito said. He just wasnt himself.
Magna Graduate, making the final start of his career for trainer Steve Asmussen, finished fourth.