Darren’s Fortune finds a marathon

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Darren’s Fortune is arguably the most interesting horse on the Sunday card at Oaklawn Park.

He’s won his last two starts by a combined margin of 38 3/4 lengths, and the former $6,250 claimer is earning a fan base.

“He’s a barn favorite, and when clients come out, they all want to see him,” said Tom Van Berg, who trains Darren’s Fortune for Sam Almaraz. “People are enamored with his performances. It’s something you don’t really see that often.”

Darren’s Fortune goes in the eighth race, a 1 1/2-mile firstlevel allowance that carries a claiming option of $20,000. The horse has won his last two starts at the three-turn trip, taking a $7,500 starter allowance at Mountaineer Park by 23 3/4 lengths on Oct. 21, then returning to the track to win another marathon by 15 lengths. The Sunday race will be his first since November .

“It will be interesting to see how he does,” said Van Berg.

Van Berg said the horse has been ready to run for about three weeks, but a pair of marathon starters did not fill. He also noted the horse is stepping up in class. In addition, Darren’s Fortune is looking for his first win at Oaklawn.

It was at Oaklawn last February that Almaraz and Van Berg claimed Darren’s Fortune.

“Sammy spotted him last year when we were here at Oaklawn,” Van Berg said. “He said we need to watch this horse, and the next start, when he came out for $6,250, we dropped the claim on him.”

Van Berg said Darren’s Fortune is a tall individual, standing at 17-1 hands. The trainer’s pedigree research suggested the horse might want to run longer distances and his gallops were lengthened and he got stronger the farther he went, said Van Berg. When a race for Darren’s Fortune did not fill at home at Churchill Downs, the decision was made to test him over a mile and five-eighths at Mountaineer.

“There was a series at Mountaineer,” Van Berg said. “We thought if we get him going long, he might just keep on galloping. We said, ‘Let’s try it.’ ”

Darren’s Fortune galloped by more than 20 lengths and then returned to the track for the 1 3/4-mile leg in the series. Darren’s Fortune rolled by 15 and Van Berg said he was then put away after the race with the plan to target the Trail’s End at the same distance in May at Oaklawn. Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 2.

Van Berg has one additional starter in the eighth in Knight’s Cross, who has recency on Darren’s Fortune as he last raced in January. He has also won his last two starts, both at a mile and a sixteenth. Knight’s Cross is making his first marathon appearance. The move is based on pedigree, said Van Berg.

“His bottom side is really strong for route,” he said.

The field also includes Kentucky Summer, a son of Tapit who is a half-brother to the Grade 1 winners Creative Cause and Vexatious.

◗ Race 9 is a first-level allowance sprint for 3-year-olds over six furlongs. The field is led by Bob’s Edge, Saffa’s Day, and Molto Vivace. The race carries a claiming option of $62,500.