Nine-year-old Rated R Superstar, who was a multiple graded stakes winner before being claimed by his present connections for $50,000 in January 2021, proved he can still run with the best of them with his second stakes victory of the meet in Saturday's $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3).
The victory marked the first career graded stakes win for four-time leading Oaklawn owner Danny Caldwell and trainer Frederico Villafranco.
Under a confident ride by David Cabrera, Rated R Superstar, who earlier in the meet won the Fifth Season Stakes, raced in sixth early as Plainsman and Thomas Shelby battled on the front end through fractions of the :23.20 and :47.18 for the first half mile.
The winner was four wide turning for home, gained command inside the furlong marker and kicked clear late to win by 2 ¼ lengths over Plainsman in 1:43.12 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track.
Beau Luminarie came flying late and just missed second by neck for third. Thomas Shelby fought hard to finish a neck back in fourth.
“We got a clean trip down the stretch,” Caldwell said. “I knew at the top of the stretch, I looked at my wife and said, 'We've got a chance.' The first thing I told Federico (Villafranco) when I walked into the paddock, I said: 'There's closers coming in today, so it gives us a good shot.'
“The horse was doing good. I was at the barn yesterday and he tried to bite me, so I knew he was doing great. He's a classy horse. Like I've said, I'm blessed to have him in our stable. He's been a blessing to us. As long as he wants to run, we're going to let him run and if he's doing really good, we're going in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2).”
The Oaklawn Handicap, at 1 1/8 miles, carries a $1 million purse and is set for April 23.
Rated R Superstar, a son of Kodiak Kowboy who won the Essex Handicap in 2019 for other connections, improved his career record to 11-10-8 in 59 starts and has now made $1,589,014 in career earnings. In his second start following his claim by Caldwell, he finished second in the 2021 Essex. He returned $18.
The post Ageless Rated R Superstar Strong In Second Essex Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
