Rattle N Roll powers to Breeders’ Futurity win; Bell’s the One is the one
Keeneland stakes recaps (photos by Keeneland/Coady Photography)
Lucky Seven Stable’s Rattle N Roll made a sweeping move on the far turn and then rocketed by the field at the head of the stretch to draw off for a 4¼-length victory in the 108th running of the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds.
By virtue of the victory, Rattle N Roll earned a fees-paid berth into the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to be run Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
Trained by Kenny McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Rattle N Roll covered the 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track in 1:43.78. The victory is the third in the race for McPeek, who also won in 1994 with Tejano Run and 2009 with Noble’s Promise.
Favored Classic Causeway was sent hard out of the gate from the outside No. 13 post and led the field through fractions of :22.81, :46.74 and 1:11.90 with Stellar Tap and Mr. Bouma in closest pursuit early on.
On the far turn, Hernandez angled to the outside and began picking off horses with a move that put him on even terms with Classic Causeway and Stellar Tap turning for home. With that momentum, Rattle N Roll quickly opened up and never was threatened in the run to the finish line.
Video: Hernandez, McPeek and Jenna!
“He made a start at Churchill in the spring,” McPeek said. “It was more of a test drive than anything, trying to teach him to finish and everything. The race at Saratoga – we were miffed by that. His left eye was closed the next morning and the only thing we could figure is that he got hit in the eye with a rock or something. So we were like, ‘OK, that was a head-scratcher, what was that about?’ and then we went back to work. He’s never done anything (like that) before or since.
“I’m just real happy for the Mackin family. I love having the opportunity to be able to buy horses for people like them. You can’t go into a race with 13 horses and be overconfident, because so much can happen, and I told my wife before the race, ‘If the 13 horse rolls out of there early I think we’ve got a real chance,’ because that horse really needed to rate to win, and I think it set up well for us.”
Said Hernandez: “All the credit really goes to the horse, being only his fourth start, to be able to sit back there and read the race and let it develop in front of him. When I got him outside, he showed what a good horse he is. He engulfed those horses pretty easily, and turning for home he switched leads. He knows his job and he just kind of went on about it.”
A Keeneland sales graduate, Rattle N Roll is a Kentucky-bred son of Connect out of the Johannesburg mare Jazz Tune. With Saturday’s $300,000 check, Rattle N Roll now has earnings of $379,460 with a record of 4-2-0-1.
Rattle N Roll returned $19.40, $8.60 and $5. Double Thunder rallied from far back under Paco Lopez to get second and return $7.40 and $4.60 with Classic Causeway finishing another half-length back in third under Jose Ortiz and paying $3 to show.
It was another 1¼ lengths back to American Sanctuary in fourth with Costa Terra, Mr. Bouma, Stellar Tap, Kevin’s Folly, Great Escape, Seal Beach, Mac’s Time, King Curlin and Don’t Wait Up following in order.
Blowout (GB) holds off Regal Glory in First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare
Peter Brant’s Blowout (GB) went to the front out of the gate and then turned back a deep stretch challenge from stablemate Regal Glory to win the 24th running of the $400,000 First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare for fillies and mares by a half-length.
By virtue of the victory, Blowout earned a fees-paid berth into the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, Blowout covered the mile on a turf course rated as good in 1:34.86. It is the fourth consecutive victory in the race for Brown and fifth overall.
Blowout led the field of 12 through fractions of :23.76, :47.75 and 1:11.67 while maintaining a daylight advantage. At the head of the stretch, Regal Glory ranged up to the outside of Blowout and the two raced on near even terms until the final yards when Blowout spurted clear.
In posting her first Grade 1 victory, Blowout improved her record to 14-5-7-1 and hiked her earnings to $988,600 with Saturday’s $240,000 reward.
Blowout is a 5-year-old daughter of Dansili (GB) out of the Deep Impact (JPN) mare Beauty Parlour (GB).
Blowout returned $12.60, $6.40 and $4.80. Regal Glory, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $7.40 and $5 and finished a half-length ahead of Empress Josephine (IRE), who paid $8.20 to show under John Velazquez.
Favored Althiqa (GB) was another 1 ½ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Abscond, Viadera (GB), Harvey’s Lil Goil, Daddy Is a Legend, Dalika (GER), Hendy Woods, Star Command and La Signare (FR).
Bell’s the One goes from last to first to win Thoroughbred Club of America
Lothenbach Stables’ Bell’s the One, last early in the field of six, moved to the front at the eighth pole and held on through a furious stretch drive to prevail by a neck over Car Club and win the 41st running of the $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) for fillies and mares.
With the victory, Bell’s the One earned a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Trained by Neil Pessin and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Bell’s the One covered the 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:08.63, just .13 off the stakes record established by Indyanne in 2008.
Defending TCA champion Inthemidstofbiz hooked up in an early speed duel with Miss Mosaic, Estilo Talentoso and Frank’s Rockette through and opening quarter of :21.57 as Bell’s the One lagged at the back of the pack.
On the far turn, Lanerie began to close in on the field. Bell’s the One swung five wide at the head of the stretch, eased to the front at the eighth pole and had enough at the end to hold off a late bid from Club Car.
A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Majesticperfection out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Street Mate, Bell’s the One improved her record to 21-10-4-2 and boosted her earnings to $1,336,825 with Saturday’s $150,000 check.
Bell’s the One returned $4.20, $2.80 and $2.10. Club Car, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, returned $6.60 and $3.40 and finished a head in front of Estilo Talentoso, who paid $2.60 to show under Jose Ortiz.
It was another 1½ lengths back to Inthemidstofbiz, who was followed in order by Frank’s Rockette and Miss Mosaic.
At the Nov. 10-19 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud, agent, has consigned a weanling half-sister to Bell’s the One. The filly by Collected is Hip 31 and is scheduled to sell opening day. Click herefor her catalog page.
Odds-on favorite Golden Pal prevails in Woodford Presented by TVG
Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg’s Golden Pal made a successful return to the races at Keeneland by scoring a 2¼-length victory over Extravagant Kid in the 25th running of the $200,000 Woodford (G2) Presented by TVG for 3-year-olds and up.
Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by John Velazquez, Golden Pal covered the 5½ furlongs on a turf course rated as good in 1:03.12. It is the second victory in the race for Ward, who saddled No Nay Never to the win in 2014.
Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) here last fall in gate-to-wire fashion, Golden Pal flashed his speed out of the gate again Saturday carving out a :21.51 first quarter while on an uncontested lead.
He maintained a clear advantage to the head of the stretch when he was pressured on the outside by Firecrow and inside by Johnny Unleashed. At the three-sixteenths pole, Firecrow briefly stuck his head in front but the advantage was short-lived as Golden Pal quickly kicked clear to cruise to victory.
A Keeneland sales graduate, Golden Pal added $120,000 to his bankroll to boost his earnings to $779,056 with a record of 7-4-2-0. He is a Florida-bred son of Uncle Mo out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman.
Golden Pal returned $3, $2.20 and $2.10. Extravagant Kid, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $3 and $2.40 and finished a half-length ahead of County Final, who paid $3.40 to show under Ricardo Santana Jr.
It was another head back to Johnny Unleashed in fourth with Inhalation (GB), Firecrow and Charcoal following in order.
***************
Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for fillies and mares highlights three “Win and You’re In” Challenge races for the Nov. 5-6 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar.
