Night Ops Scores in Essex Handicap
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Photo: Coady Photography
Night Ops wins the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park
Coming from off the pace in the slop at Oaklawn Park, Steve Landers Racing's Night Ops sprung a mild upset March 14 in the $350,000 Essex Handicap. The 4-year-old son of Warrior's Reward was a 1 1/4-length winner over Snapper Sinclair in 1:44.09 under Joe Talamo.
Night Ops was the 6-1 fourth choice. Pioneer Spirit, the 9-5 favorite, finished third, a half-length behind Snapper Sinclair.
Fourth early in the seven-horse cast, Night Ops was content to rate behind the early pace of :23.86 and :48.50 set by Snapper Sinclair and Joel Rosario. As the field came out of the bend, Talamo brought Night Ops out with a three-wide move. Night Ops split the pacesetter and Pioneer Spirit with a sixteenth of a mile to go. The final sixteenth went in a snappy :6.25.
Night Ops, who paid $15 on a $2 win ticket, carried 117 pounds and came into the race off an allowance optional claiming score in Hot Springs, Ark., at the same 1 1/16-mile trip. The Essex was his third start of the meet for trainer Brad Cox; he finished third in the Jan. 25 Fifth Season Stakes at a mile.
"He handled (the sloppy track) fine," Talamo said. "He was getting over it really well. I had a lot of horse the whole way, so it was just a matter of getting out when I could. He's one of those horses, definitely have to ride him. He doesn't give it to you easy. But when he does, he gives you everything he's got."
In his lone graded stakes try, Night Ops was eighth behind classic winner War of Will in last year's Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. A five-time winner from 16 starts, Night Ops has earned $554,356 after starting his career in an $80,000 maiden claiming event at Del Mar in August 2018.
The Essex winner is the third foal out of the unraced Kitalpha mare Bear All. The dam is out of the Forestry mare Mama Bear, a full sister to Autumnal, the dam of four-time grade 1 winner Rushing Fall and stakes winner Milam.
Night Ops went through the sale ring once, bringing $5,000 in 2017 at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky yearling sale. As part of the War Horse Place consignment, he went to Big Chief Racing. Night Ops was bred in Kentucky by Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings.