Rattle N Roll Seems to Shake Up Clark Stakes

As comfort prizes go, a $600,000 stakes race nonetheless presents a large monetary alternative.

That’s what is in entrance of Fortunate Seven Steady’s Rattle N Roll , who faces 9 rivals within the Clark Stakes (G2) Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs. Earlier this month, he failed to attract into the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1) at Del Mar after delivery west and never drawing in from the also-eligible record.

Although he would have been a longshot within the Basic, doubtless one of many highest on the percentages board, the early tempo of the 1 1/4-mile Basic would have suited late-running Rattle N Roll, if not the corporate. Splits of :22.43, :44.96, and 1:09.44 kickstarted the rally of victorious Sierra Leone, who stopped the clock in 2:00.78.

As for the tempo make-up of the 1 1/8-mile Clark, entrants Most Wished  and Cooke Creek  repeatedly go to the lead, and others resembling Bolzy , who provides blinkers, and Grand Aspen  have inside publish positions from which their riders might make the most of their place to go ahead.

A 5-year-old son of Join  , Rattle N Roll took the 2021 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland as a 2-year-old. At age 3, he received three stakes, after which final yr at age 4, he captured three grade 3s within the spring earlier than operating second within the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs. However he would tail off after that within the fall of 2023 and didn’t reappear till after a yr layoff when third within the Sept. 28 Lukas Basic (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Crushed 3 3/4 lengths by victorious Hit Present , one of many Clark favorites, and three 1/2 lengths by runner-up Cooke Creek, McPeek appears to be like to have Rattle N Roll shut that hole with a comeback race advancing his horse’s health.

Wathnan Racing’s Hit Present is certainly one of two streaking prospects for coach Brad Cox, the opposite being Gary and Mary West’s Most Wished. Each are sons of Sweet Journey  .

Hit Present has received three stakes in a row, with the Oct. 26 Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland following the Lukas Basic and the Aug. 4 West Virginia Governor’s Cup (G3) at Mountaineer On line casino Racetrack & Resort previous it. The three-year-old Most Wished is unbeaten in 4 begins. His two stakes triumphs got here within the Aug. 11 Ellis Park Derby at Ellis Park and the Sept. 29 Oklahoma Derby (G3) at Remington Park.

Florent Geroux, who has been using each colts this yr, stays aboard Most Wished, whereas Tyler Gaffalione picks up the trip on Hit Present.

The Clark, downgraded from a grade 1 to a grade 2 starting in 2023, didn’t lure any Breeders’ Cup opponents to return on rather less than 4 weeks of relaxation. All however Oct. 20 allowance non-obligatory claiming winner Piroli  come off last-out races in grade 2s or grade 3s.