Big Trouble proves tough in Clarksville Handicap

Horseshoe Indianapolis stakes recap by Tammy Knox (Coady Media/Sammatha Pagels photos)

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Friday, July 10, 2026) – It may have taken the last stride of the race, but Churchill Downs-based Big Trouble proved to live up to her name in the sixth running of the $100,000 Clarksville Handicap (BT) Friday, July 10 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Ridden by Mitchell Murrill, the seasoned mare inched closer to a half-million in earnings with her latest win.

Big Trouble was tagged as the favorite from post two and was in no rush in the early stages of the six-furlong event over the turf. La Puma and Santo Sanjur led early on through early fractions of the one-turn race. Around the final turn, horses from the back began to close in, but La Puma was still fierce on the lead. 

Midway through the stretch, La Puma was still holding onto the lead as the gap narrowed between her and the rest of the field. The late closers proved to be too much for La Puma and got by her in the final strides. Big Trouble was tucked in behind the final wave before moving out. Four horses were across the track at the wire with Big Trouble widest of all to pick up the victory. Slang and Joe Ramos finished a tad ahead of Shirley Ann and Amir Mendoza for second with Paynt Ya Later and Evin Roman right there for fourth.

“She (Big Trouble) is a horse that breaks a little slow, so you just have to take it step by step during a race,” said Murrill, who was aboard for the first time. “But we got lucky and she got a good trip today and the horse showed up.”

Big Trouble paid $4.60 for the win. The five-year-old daughter of Kantharos is a home bred, owned by the Ball family’s Donamire Farm of Lexington, Ky. Greg Foley trains the mare. She earned her first win of 2026 and her fourth overall for her connections as she is just under the $500,000 mark in career earnings.

“She (Big Trouble) is super consistent and has to come from the right trip because of how she races,” said Travis Foley, the trainer’s son and assistant and a Kentucky HBPA vice president. “She’s tough when she doesn’t get stopped, and sometimes that happens because she is always back early on. Mitch did a great job riding her today and getting her in the right spot. I’m very happy for Donamire Farm for getting this win.”