Cox Clark Twosome Look To Keep Backers in the 'Black' on Friday

Trainer Brad Cox sends out the top two chances on the morning line for Friday's GII Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs, and those who support the duo from a pari-mutuel perspective will be looking for some positive cashflow to get a head start on their holiday shopping.

Since being acquired privately by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing earlier this season, Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) has yet to taste defeat in three starts, including the GIII West Virginia Governor's Stakes in August, a neck defeat of Cooke Creek (Uncle Mo) in the GII Lukas Classic Stakes in the local slop at the back end of September and another narrow success over Bolzy (Gun Runner) when last seen in Keeneland's GII Fayette Stakes Oct. 26.

Hit Show was bred and raced by Gary and Mary West up to the time of his sale, and the couple is represented by stablemate Most Wanted (Candy Ride {Arg}). The homebred half-brother to MGISW 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) has an unblemished record of his own from his four trips to the races, including the Aug. 11 Ellis Park Derby and the GIII Oklahoma Derby Sept. 29.

“It should be a fun weekend of racing. We've got a lot of nice horses entered,” said Cox, who won the 2018 with another son of Candy Ride, Leofric. “The Clark is always a marquee race in the fall, and both horses fit the race well. We're expecting top efforts from them both.”

Rattle N Roll (Connect) made his two most recent starts in the Lukas Classic, finishing fourth in 2023 before returning off a year's absence to finish a sound third to Hit Show Sept. 28. He was entered for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, but failed to draw in off the also-eligible list. Crupi (Curlin) goes out for Todd Pletcher, winner of the Clark in 2005 and again in 2007, and was last seen finishing a distant third to stablemate Tapit Trice (Tapit) in the GII Woodward Stakes Sept. 28. Red Route One (Gun Runner) looks to follow in the hoofprints of his sire, who won this in 2016, and runs for the first time since taking the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap July 6.

Full Field Set For Mrs. Revere

A maximum field of 12 sophomore fillies will load the gate for a competitive renewal of the co-featured GII Mrs. Revere Stakes beneath the Twin Spires.

Kehoe Beach (Omaha Beach) is a head from being perfect on the grass, but a repeat of either her two most recent efforts likely gets the job done in her stakes debut. All-the-way winner of a seven-furlong allowance at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8, the $450,000 Keeneland September purchase dominated second-level Keeneland allowance foes from the front Oct. 26, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths, but she may have some other speedy types to deal with here.

A pair of fillies who have already established their affinity for the Matt Winn turf course are poised to capitalize if the favorite falters. Pin Up Betty (Constitution) is two-for-two at Churchill, having graduated by five lengths before defeating Buchu (Justify) in the GII Regret Stakes June 1. The latter won her maiden over this course last September but is winless since taking out the GII Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland on her seasonal debut back in April.

Poolside With Slim (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) ran down Pharoah's Wine (American Pharoah) in the GII Valley View Stakes in Lexington Oct. 25, but has a very difficult draw to defy from gate 12 of 12. Minoushka (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Group 3-placed in France for Carlos and Yann Lerner, overcame trouble to take her U.S. debut in Keeneland allowance company Oct. 10.

In graded action on Thanksgiving Day, 'TDN Rising Star' Tarifa (Bernardini) takes on Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) and the commonly owned Loved (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GIII Falls City Stakes looking to add to her nose win in the GII Mother Goose Stakes Oct. 26; Implicated (Connect) looks to return to the form that won her the GII Nassau Stakes in the GIII Cardinal Handicap; and Augustin Stable homebred Truly Quality (Quality Road) ships into Del Mar for the GII Hollywood Turf Cup on the back of a late-running success in the Oct. 5 GIII Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine.