How closer will the Clark Handicap on 25th November take Ruler on Ice to the Eclipse Award?
Ruler on Ice is perhaps the only contestant among Caleb’s Posse, Animal Kingdom and Shackleford for who will be participating in yet another Grade 1 event before the Championship settles in.
His next start would be the Clark Handicap Grade 1 on 25th November at Churchill Downs. What sort and how much edge does this race bring around for Ruler on Ice is yet to be seen?
“That’s the question mark as to running here in the Clark,” said Breen. “It’s a Grade 1, it’s against older, and, you know, the purse isn’t $5 million like it was yesterday, but it’s $500,000, and if we were to win that I think it stamps him as being, possibly,
three-year-old of the year. Puts another little notch in our cap”.
As if to compensate his record against Animal Kingdom who won the Kentucky Derby and Shackleford who won the Preakness, Ruler on Ice won the Belmont Stakes Grade 1 on 11th at Belmont Park with Jose Valdivia.
This actually is his only victory after the maiden special weight on 4th October last season. That is the reason why the connections have their fingers crossed for the Clark Handicap as wining that would get Ruler on Ice at least an inch closer
to being able to win the Eclipse Award.
Ruler on Ice has been seen racing eight times this season with the most remarkable performance being the Belmont Stakes not only for this season but for the entire three years of his racing career. Thrice he has come second, thrice third and fourth once.
He got parked third in the Sunland Derby Grade 3 on 27th March at Sunland and then progressed to the second position in his second race, Federico Tesio on 7th May at Pimlico Race Course.
Ruler on Ice was positioned third in the Haskell Grade 1 on 31st July at Monmouth Park with rival Shackleford finishing second. His last two races were identical to those of Shackleford in a manner that both found him through the wire second.
The first one being Pennsylvania Derby Grade 2 on 24th September at Philadelphia Park and then the most recent on 5th November at Churchill Downs, the Breeders’ Cup Classic Grade 1.
How influential will be 25th November in improving Ruler on Ice’s chances with the Eclipse Award is yet to be witnessed.
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