Hit Show enters Clark on an upswing

Although Hit Show's shocking upset of the Dubai World Cup (G1) last April over Forever Young did not signify his evolution into a consistent performer at the top level, the $600,000 Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs surely looks like a race he's capable of winning. But the same can be said for a significant chunk of the field in the Clark, a 1 1/8-mile fixture which is one of Churchill's oldest stakes and will be run for the 151st time on Friday.

Hit Show is 2-for-4 since his victory at Meydan, though both losses occurred at Churchill, in the Stephen Foster (G1) and Lukas Classic (G2). However, his successful title defense of the Oct. 25 Fayette (G2) at Keeneland suggests he can still rise to the occasion.

Hit Show is joined in the Clark field by fellow Brad Cox trainee First Mission, the 2023 Clark runner-up, who has since won editions of the Alysheba (G2) and Oaklawn H. (G2). However, since a fine third in the Stephen Foster, First Mission endured an inexplicable loss as a 1-5 favorite in the Philip H. Iselin (G3) and was no factor in the Goodwood (G1) at Santa Anita.

Runner-up to Hit Show in last month's Fayette was Rattle N Roll, who attempted to rally from even farther back than Hit Show but came up one length short. It was the six-year-old's best domestic run since his victory in last year's Clark, in which Hit Show finished third. Only three horses in the history of the Clark have won it twice, Bob's Dusty (1977-78) being the most recent.

Third in the Fayette was Gosger, one of several three-year-old contenders in the Clark. Gosger's big win of the season was back in April, when he landed the Lexington (G3) in his third career start. He narrowly missed against Journalism in both the Preakness (G1) and Haskell (G1), and had an excuse-filled trip in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) prior to the Fayette.

Magnitude is arguably the sophomore to fear. Although pummeled by Sovereignty in the Travers (G1), he earned triple-digit Brisnet Speed ratings winning the Risen Star (G2) and Iowa Derby, and was a rallying second to Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby last time. Chunk of Gold, despite a win over the summer in the West Virginia Derby (G3), will need to find more to outrun his two generational peers.

The supporting feature on the Black Friday card is the $300,000 Mrs. Revere (G2), a 1 1/16-mile grass test for three-year-old fillies. Lush Lips will be a strong favorite to follow up on her upset win in last month's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), in which she outran Grade 1 winner Fionn and the highly rated Laurelin.