Rattle N Roll rallied 4 large to grab the lead within the stretch after which gamely held off Most Wished ‘s try and combat again late to land a three-quarter-length victory within the $600,000 Grade 2 Clark Stakes offered by Norton Healthcare, a 1 1/8-mile check for 3-year-olds and older on Friday, Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs.
On a day when Churchill Downs celebrated Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna and her connections, the Clark Stakes delivered an acceptable outcome. Rattle N Roll races for a similar connections behind Thorpedo Anna, coach Ken McPeek and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.. McPeek and Hernandez additionally teamed with this yr’s Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.
The Clark victory offers McPeek and Hernandez a sweep of three of Churchill’s signature stakes races. The monitor famous that McPeek is the primary coach to perform that feat. The Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Clark have been staged yearly at Churchill Downs with out interruption since 1875.
“It has been a number of enjoyable, that is why we do that,” McPeek mentioned of successful the day’s featured race hours after Thorpedo Anna’s season was celebrated within the paddock. “It has been a dream yr right here at Churchill. That is such a historic race just like the Derby and Oaks, and really particular to have the ability to sweep them this yr.”
Thorpedo Anna shall be named champion 3-year-old filly of 2024 and is outstanding in Horse of the Yr consideration. McPeek, who figures to be thought-about for the Eclipse Award for excellent coach as properly, added one other large win.
The victory was particularly satisfying contemplating the 5-year-old Rattle N Roll needed to overcome an extended layoff and a latest change profession of plans. After a fourth-place end within the 2023 Grade 2 Lukas Basic Stakes, Rattle N Roll was sidelined for the following 12 months due to distal bone bruising. He returned with a third-place end in this yr’s Grade 2 Lukas Basic. McPeek noticed sufficient to pre-enter within the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic and was shipped to Del Mar however didn’t draw into the race.
The staff reset its sights, this time centered on the Clark Stakes.
In Friday’s Clark, longshot Grand Aspen led the sphere of eight by way of early splits of :24.11, :49.15, and 1:13.04 as undefeated 3-year-old Most Wished raced simply off his hip. In the meantime, Rattle N Roll was content material to race coated up in fifth down the backstretch. Halfway across the remaining flip, Most Wished grabbed the lead, however Rattle N Roll tipped out 4 large and drew even with three-sixteenths of a mile to run. The 2 matched strides within the stretch nevertheless it was Rattle N Roll who held on to the benefit for a recreation victory. He accomplished the race in 1:49.60 on a quick monitor.
Hernandez is the second jockey to brush the Oaks, Derby, and Clark in the identical season, becoming a member of Corridor of Famer Isaac Murphy who received the Derby and Clark with Buchanan and the Oaks with Modesty in 1884.
“Successful this race is such a testomony to this horse. He is such a superb horse,” Hernandez mentioned. “He was in a position to give us an ideal journey by naturally getting in a very good place early and completed the job late. He is such a gifted horse to do what he is performed over time and only a particular particular person.”
Favored Hit Present reached the wire third however was disqualified to fifth for interference within the stretch. That call noticed Uno Mas Bourbon positioned third.
A Grade 1 winner at age 2, Rattle N Roll boasts eight profession stakes wins and raised his profession earnings surged previous $2 million to $2,141,641.
Rattle N Roll shall be thought-about for the $3 million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes offered by Baccarat Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park forward of a attainable journey to the Center East for the profitable races there within the winter and spring.
