The Grade II Clark Stakes of 2025 at Churchill Downs on Saturday, November 28 is one of the sports highlights of Thanksgiving Weekend in the Commonwealth of Kentucky as the track’s fall meet draws to a close. Among a field of nine in the $600,000 contest over 1,800m are a couple of horses who ran in past Derbies.
Last year’s third past the wire, Hit Show, ended up with a demotion to fifth for running interference. Brad Cox’s five-year-old grey son of Candy Ride has atoned for that since, however. Hit Show, also fifth in the 2023 Kentucky Derby result, wintered real well. He put the disappointment of 12 months ago behind him when landing the Grade III Louisiana Stakes at the New Orleans Fair Grounds.
Although he then only showed in the Santa Anita Handicap, Hit Show scooped the jackpot of one of the most valuable horse races in the world. Powerful global owners Wathnan Racing sent him to Meydan in the Middle East where he captured the $12,000,000 Dubai World Cup from Mixto and subsequent Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Forever Young.
With such a valuable piece of form on his resume, it’s no wonder oddsmakers on Kentucky Derby betting sites make Hit Show the Morning Line favorite for the Clark Stakes in 2025 again. Just like 12 months ago, he arrives at Churchill Downs off a prep race win in the Fayette Stakes around the Bluegrass State’s other premier track, Keeneland.
The issue for bettors with Hit Show is he hasn’t backed up a victory for more than a year now. He could only finish fifth here over course and distance in the Grade I Stephen Foster, then won a Listed race at Mountaineer Park before missing the show again behind Mystik Dan in the Lukas Classic.
Chunk Of Gold Also Carries Penalty in Clark Stakes
Hit Show concedes 4lb and upwards to his eight rivals as a result of that mega bucks win in the UAE earlier in the campaign. He gave weight and a beating to Rattle N Roll, who triumphed here in 2024, and Preakness and Haskell Stakes second Gosger in the Fayette. Both re-oppose. Handicappers feel if Hit Show could do that at Keeneland, then why not again especially off 1lb better terms with the third?
Rattle N Roll is now Kenny McPeek’s flagbearer for the barn’s older horses with the retirements of wonder-filly Thorpedo Anna and 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Now a six-year-old, this son of Connect looks sure to be primed for the defense of the crown he won 12 months ago.
As Rattle N Roll came from last and raced widest of all into the home stretch in the Fayette, he was nearest at the finish and has just a length to find on Hit Show. There are other form lines to consider, however, and one of the three-year-olds taking on their elders in Chunk Of Gold has the misfortune of carrying a penalty too.
One of this season’s Kentucky Derby horses following placed efforts in the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby, Ethan West’s colt by Preservationist finished ninth in the Run for the Roses back in May. Chunk Of Gold has since landed the Grade III West Virginia Derby over the summer.
A 3lb penalty for the Clark Stakes of 2025 makes life tougher for him now, but he also won his prep race around Keeneland. Although only a minor event, he also had a sighter when placed in Listed company here over 100m further in the Bourbon Flight behind old rival Brotha Keny, who was better off at the weights from Mountaineer Park.
First Mission, Magnitude Have Obvious Claims
Cox doesn’t just rely on Hit Show with his 4-1 head-to-head record over Rattle N Roll. The barn has a second bullet to fire in Godolphin’s First Mission. This five-year-old son of Street Sense won last season’s Alysheba Stakes on the Kentucky Derby schedule and Oaks undercard. As he landed another Grade II in the Oaklawn Handicap, then showed in the Stephen Foster (one spot better than 2024), First Mission might still be improving.
He was only a length and a tail behind 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone over the Clark Stakes course and distance. Mystik Dan and Hit Show were behind First Mission on this occasion. Although his subsequent defeats around Monmouth Park and at Santa Anita in the Goodwood Stakes are less encouraging, First Mission has Churchill Downs past performance figures of 243 including a nose second in this very race two years ago.
That agonizing loss is something he could avenge. Another who may have a say in the finish, meanwhile, is Steve Asmussen’s Pennsylvania Derby runner-up Magnitude. This three-year-old Not This Time colt missed his shot at winning Triple Crown races due to injury. Magnitude, who landed the Grade II Risen Star from Chunk Of Gold, returned to the track with Iowa Derby success.
As he wasn’t disgraced when third in the Travers Stakes behind the mighty Sovereignty around Saratoga or when chasing home Baeza at Parx well ahead of Gosger, Magnitude must have a chance here. Like old rival Chunk Of Gold, however, he takes on his elders for the first time. These also include a couple of longshots in Michael Maker gelding pair Cooke Creek, sixth here last season, and Willy D’s. Who Dey from the Thomas Drury barn completes the line-up.
Clark Stakes 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Cooke Creek (121lbs) – 12-1
- First Mission (121lbs) – 5-1
- Hit Show (125lbs) – 3-1 fav
- Gosger (118lbs) – 4-1
- Chunk Of Gold (120lbs) – 10-1
- Rattle N Roll (121lbs) – 7-2
- Who Dey (121lbs) – 30-1
- Willy D’s (121lbs) – 12-1
- Magnitude (118lbs) – 9-2
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
Only two six-year-olds have won this since 1984 and only three horses more than once. Those stats cast doubts on whether Rattle N Roll can mount a defense of his title, but he really caught the eye as a deep closer behind topweight Hit Show during their prep race in the Fayette last time. Of those prominent on the Morning Line, Gosger appeals the least following his Parx flop and off 1lb worse terms with the front two from Keeneland.
There’s no reason why Magnitude, even from the widest gate of all, shouldn’t confirm Pennsylvania Derby form with him. Asmussen’s colt romped to an almost 10-length victory over Chunk Of Gold down in Louisiana earlier in the campaign, so should do best of the three-year-olds. First Mission is another player for the Cox barn who could be there or thereabouts now dropped in grade for another go at this.
WATCH: Rattle N Roll Win the Clark Stakes in 2024
Rattle N Roll wins the G2 Clark Stakes presented by @Norton_Health! 🏇 pic.twitter.com/M2F50GgVaB
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) November 29, 2024
