Right to Vote stakes claim of greatness
Trainer Ron Moquett got by with something when no one took Right to Vote in a $ 100,000 claiming race Jan. 31 at Oaklawn Park.
Amid a claiming frenzy at the track and given the gelding’s current sharp form, that offer is not likely to be repeated.
Right to Vote, with back- toback victories, has established himself in his 5- year- old season as one of the top older horses on the grounds. In a game effort Saturday, the Arkansas- owned son of Political Force- What a Knight ground out a half- length victory over Street Spice after a three- horse stretch duel in the $ 100,000 Essex Handicap.
Under Ricardo Santana Jr., Right to Vote put away pacesetter Jaguar Paw going into the far turn and then repulsed the stretch- long bids of Street Spice and jockey Alex Canchari and Voodoo Strom and Norberto Arroyo Jr.
Kicking around the matter for several minutes, bettors landed on Right to Vote as a slight 3- 1 favorite. Carrying 116 pounds, the dark bay or brown gelding went the fast- rated mile and a sixteenth in 1: 44.84 and paid $ 8.80, $ 4.20 and $ 3.60.
Street Spice and Voodoo Storm represented fresh opposition for Right to Vote, who defeated three of his seven Essex rivals going a mile in 1: 39.98 at 6- 1 odds Jan. 31. Stealcase, a lastout Oaklawn winner for trainer Mark Casse, and Fair Grounds shipper Flashy Sunrise were scratched.
Stachys, Dreaming Blue, Jaguar Paw, Mavericking and Win Willy completed the order of finish in the 66th Essex, which lost some star power when neither of track president Charles J. Cella’s stakes winners, Drogue and Cyber Secret, entered.
Earning $ 94,800, Right to Vote has paid the bills in the Moquett stable while Gentlemen’s Bet, third in last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Little Rock owner Harry Rosenblum, readies for his seasonal debut.
Harboring no immediate plans of revisiting the optional-claiming ranks with the Essex winner, owned by J. Lee and Joyce Didier of Fort Smith,
Moquett said he will target the Grade 3 $ 200,000 Razorback Handicap instead.
“We’ve got Arkansas people running horses in Arkansas,” Moquett said, “and so, naturally, we’ll run in the Razorback Handicap.”