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Rattle N Roll victorious in the Clark (Coady Media)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rattle N Roll outkicked Most Wanted in deep stretch to win Friday’s 150th running of the $600,000 Clark presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II) at Churchill Downs by three-quarters of a length in a thrilling renewal of the legendary race.
Rattle N Roll clocked 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.60 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who rode the winner for trainer Kenny McPeek and Louisville owner Michael J. Mackin’s Lucky Seven Stable.
It’s been quite a year for the team of McPeek and Hernandez, who won the Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve in successive days with Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan, respectively. McPeek became the first trainer in Churchill Downs history to sweep the famous Louisville track’s signature races in a single year: the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Clark. Hernandez is just the second jockey to accomplish the feat, joining Hall of Fame rider Issac Murphy who won the Derby and Clark with Buchanan and the Oaks with Modesty in 1884.
“It’s been a dream year here at Churchill,” McPeek said. “This is such a historic race like the Derby and Oaks and very special to be able to sweep them this year. It’s a team of people behind this horse.”
The Clark’s lofty first prize of $360,700 lifted Rattle N Roll’s career earnings to $2,141,641 from a record of 9-2-3 in 23 starts.
Longshot Grand Aspen led the field of eight older horses through early splits of :24.11, :49.15 and 1:13.04 as 3-year-old Most Wanted, winner of the Ellis Park Derby and Oklahoma Derby (GIII), raced just off his right hip. Meanwhile, Rattle N Roll was content to race covered up in fifth down the backstretch.
Midway around the final turn, Most Wanted grabbed the lead but Rattle N Roll tipped out with a four-wide move and drew even with three-sixteenths of a mile to run. The two raced shoulder-to-shoulder and matched strides in deep stretch but it was Rattle N Roll who surged ahead nearing the finish line for the game victory.
It was a great stretch battle as #7 RATTLE N ROLL ($11.52) would get the better of #5 Most Wanted late to win the $600,000 Clark Stakes (G2) at @ChurchillDowns. The son of Connect was ridden by @b_hernandezjr and is trained by @KennyMcPeek. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/zS6Zmq15Je
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 29, 2024
“Winning this race is such a testament to this horse,” Hernandez said. “He’s such a good horse. He was able to give us a perfect trip by naturally getting in a really good position early and finished the job late. He’s such a talented horse to do what he’s done over the years and just a special individual.”
Prior to the Clark, Rattle N Roll finished third in the $500,000 Lukas Classic (GII) on Sept. 28 – his first race in a year. McPeek thought so highly of Rattle N Roll that he pre-entered the horse in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Del Mar but could not draw into the field off the also-eligible list.
This was Rattle N Roll’s seventh stakes win. At 2, he won the $500,000 Breeders’ Futurity (GI). As a 3-year-old, he won the $200,000 American Derby, $250,000 St. Louis Derby and $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (GIII). Rattle N Roll won three consecutive stakes at age 4: the $300,000 Ben Ali (GIII), $250,000 Pimlico Special (GIII) and $225,000 Blame (GIII).
The Clark was Rattle N Roll’s fourth win in nine starts over the Churchill Downs main dirt track.
Rattle N Roll, the 9-2 fourth betting choice, rewarded his backers with mutuels of $11.52, $5 and $4.04. Most Wanted, with Florent Geroux up, returned $4.32 and $3.78 as the 3-1 second choice.
Hit Show, the 3-2 favorite under Tyler Gaffalione, crossed the wire another 3 ¾ lengths back in third but was disqualified by Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation stewards to fifth for interference with Crupi in deep stretch. Uno Mas Bourbon, with Francisco Arrieta in the saddle at 46-1, was promoted to third and paid $7.18 to show.
Crupi was placed fourth and was followed in the official order by Hit Show, Cooke Creek, Red Route One and Grand Aspen. Bolzy and Piroli were scratched.
Rattle N Roll is a 5-year-old chestnut son of Connect out of the Johannesburg mare Jazz Tune who was bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place.
“He’s still pretty fresh,” McPeek said. “I think we could get him ready for a race like the Pegasus at Gulfstream. I think that would be a great next race for him.”
The Clark, named for Churchill Downs founder Col. M. Lewis Clark, was run for the first time in 1875 during the first racing meet at Churchill Downs, which was then known as the Louisville Jockey Club. Like the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), the Clark has been renewed annually without interruption since its first running.
Racing at Churchill Downs continues Saturday with a 12-race program that begins at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern). The 98th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) – a “Prep Season” race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby – and the 81st running of the $400,000 Golden Rod (GII) for fillies are the headliners on the penultimate day of Churchill Downs’ 26-date Fall Meet. Billed as “Stars of Tomorrow II,” each of the 12 races is exclusively for 2-year-olds that may have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next spring’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.
