NEWS
Giant Oak awarded Clark Handicap win via disqualification
Posted: Friday, November 26, 2010 6:13 PM
GIANT OAK
PhotosByZ.com/Thoroughbred Times
For video of the Clark Handicap, click here.
by Tim Nichols
Giant Oak, who avoided many of the bumps and collisions during a wild Clark Handicap (G1) on Friday at Churchill Downs, was awarded the victory in the $564,000 race following the disqualification of first-place finisher Successful Dan for interference in early stretch.
The four-year-old Giant’s Causeway colt won for the first time since May 2009 following a thrilling stretch run against Successful Dan, who crossed the finish line first by a head. Making his bid from near the center of the stretch, Giant Oak closed in on Successful Dan but ultimately came up short before being elevated to first.
Entering the stretch though, Successful Dan slammed into Redding Colliery in an effort to gain running room along the outside. Stewards determined Successful Dan interfered with Redding Colliery, causing the disqualification.
“He slammed me pretty hard,” Redding Colliery’s jockey, Rosie Napravnik, said. “He knocked us completely off stride and I don’t see how they couldn’t take him down.”
The stewards placed Successful Dan third and elevated Redding Colliery from third to second. The disqualification was the first in the Clark since 2003 when Evening Attire was placed second for interfering with Quest, who was elevated to first.
“I need to look at what happened,” said Julien Leparoux, who rode Successful Dan. “I just got slammed all over.”
Stewards also ruled Demarcation interfered with Dubious Miss on the inside in early stretch and disqualified the colt from fourth to last in the field of 11. Both Demarcation and Dubious Miss are trained by Paul McGee.
Even though the win came from the steward’s office, the victory proved no less satisfying for the connections of Giant Oak. Prior to Saturday, the colt had not won in 14 starts, dating back to his victory in the Arlington Classic Stakes in May 2009. Giant Oak raced creditably during the winless stretch, posting runner-up finishes in three Grade 2 races prior to Saturday, but finally broke though for his first graded stakes.
The win also made trainer Chris Block to the first conditioner since Todd Pletcher in 2005 to win both the Clark and Falls City Handicap (G2) in the same weekend. Block saddled Dundalk Dust to victory in the Falls City on Thursday.
“This has been a long time comin’,” Block said. “This ol’ horse has had a rough, rough go of it. He’s had some rough triples, but we’ve always known he loved Churchill Downs and I really felt good about today.” … This is very sweet to get.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tim Nichols is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
