Kinetic tries to give famed Godolphin another Oaklawn stakes victory in Saturday’s $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles.

The Essex Handicap headlines an 11-race card that begins at 12:35 p.m. (Central). Probable post time for the Essex, the 10^th race, is 5:25 p.m. (Central). The card also features the six-furlong $175,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Probable post time for the Purple Martin, the seventh race, is 3:46 p.m. Weather permitting, the infield will be open.

The Essex and Purple Martin each drew seven runners.

Essex entrants from the rail out:

1.    Red Route One, Keith Asmussen, 118, 15-1

2.    Maycocks Bay, Francisco Arrieta, 118, 2-1

3.    Tarantino, Edwin Maldonado, 119, 3-1

4.    Patriot Spirit, Rafael Bejarano, 119, 9-2

5.    Kinetic, Cristian Torres, 120, 8-5

6.    Speed Bias, Rafael Santana Jr., 118, 20-1

7.    Unload, Erik Asmussen, 117, 20-1.

Program favorite Kinetic is unbeaten in three career starts at 1 1/8 miles, including the restricted $145,000 General MacArthur Overnight Stakes Jan. 25 at Oaklawn in his last start. The General MacArthur Overnight was for horses that hadn’t won a stakes race.

“It’s the perfect distance,” said Michael Banahan, bloodstock director for Godolphin, USA. “Hopefully, we can keep that streak alive at that distance. It looks like an ideal opportunity for him. He’s 1 for 1 at the racetrack as well. It’s obviously a step up into a graded race, but it looks like the right one to see if he can get to that level.”

Kinetic represented the 10^th stakes victory this decade at Oaklawn for Godolphin, the global racing/breeding operation of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai.

Kinetic is trained by Brad Cox, who teamed with Godolphin to win last year’s Essex with a homebred, First Mission. Godolphin also bred Kinetic, a 4-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of Collective. Kinetic is a full brother to the recently retired Comparative, a Godolphin homebred who won the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares in 2024 at Oaklawn for Cox.

Kinetic has a 4-1-0 record in six lifetime starts and earnings of $294,138. He came from just off the pace to win the General MacArthur Overnight Stakes by three-quarters of a length.

“He should get a nice stalking pace around there,” Banahan said. “Got the leading rider. We’re optimistic that we’ll have a good showing out there.”

The most accomplished entrant is millionaire multiple graded stakes winner Red Route One for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The late-running Red Route One is an Oaklawn stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles (2023 Bathhouse Row), but he is 0 for 2 at the meeting, finishing a distant fourth in the $175,000 Tinsel Stakes Jan. 5 and a non-threatening seventh in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) Feb. 23.

Asmussen will also start Unload, who, like Red Route One, is a homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds (Ron and Joan Winchell). Unload was fifth in the Tinsel and all three of his career victories, including the $100,000 Governor’s Cup at Remington Park, have been in front-running fashion.

“Both of them are longer-priced horses in the (field), but they complement each other,” Asmussen said.

Patriot Spirit exits a runner-up finish, beaten a neck by The Wine Steward, in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horse Jan. 25 at Oaklawn for trainer Michael Campbell. Tarantino has been competing well in graded stakes in Southern California for trainer Peter Eurton. Maycocks Bay, also owned by Godolphin, is cross-entered in Saturday’s $500,000 New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) and will run there, according to the Oaklawn racing department. Speed Bias and Tarantino were supplemental nominees.  Speed Bias finished second, beaten a nose, in the $250,000 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) at 1 3/16 miles in 2023 at Pimlico for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs.

PURPLE MARTIN

Unbeaten Accelerating is the 7-5 program favorite for the Purple Martin, which will mark her 3-year-old debut and first start in open company.

A New York-bred daughter of sprint champion Mitole, Accelerating is 2 for 2 after breaking her maiden July 26 and capturing the $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes Aug. 25. Both 6-furlong races were at Saratoga.

“Tough spot to jump off the bench,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “But the filly is very generous and putting in very good work.”

Asmussen trains Accelerating for Kaleem Shah. They teamed to win the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Feb. 1 at Oaklawn with Benedetta. Keith Asmussen will be riding Accelerating for the first time in the Purple Martin.

“Beyond excited for the opportunity like that,” Asmussen said. “Obviously, think very highly of her and hope I can deliver.”

Asmussen, Oaklawn’s second-leading rider last season, said he’s galloped and breezed Accelerating, who was purchased for $325,000 in May at Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Accelerating, in her under-tack work, covered an eighth of a mile in :10, equaling the third-fastest time at the sale.

“Just handles very beautifully and has got a world of talent,” Asmussen said.

Accelerating will break from the rail and carry equal top weight of 121 pounds. The early 8-5 second choice is Kimchi Cat, who will be making her 3-year-old debut for trainer Tom Amoss. Kimchi Cat returns to sprinting after being eased as the favorite in her final start at 2, the one-mile $300,000 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs. Both of Kimchi Cat’s two victories have come at 5 ½ furlongs, including the $150,000 off-the-turf Bolton Landing Stakes Aug. 18 at Saratoga.

Steve Asmussen also entered Glee (5-1), a multiple stakes winner at 2. Asmussen is seeking his record-extending seventh Purple Martin victory. The Purple Martin was previously run as the Instant Racing Stakes, Instant Racing Breeders’ Cup Stakes and the Althea Stakes. Another leading Purple Martin contender is Kentucky Smokeshow (6-1) for trainer Chris Hartman.