Churchill Downs Stakes Recaps and Quotes: $600,000 Clark (Grade II) and $300,000 Mrs. Revere (Grade II)

Nov 29, 2024

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.

 

“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.

 

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KEHOE BEACH LEADS FROM GATE TO WIRE IN GRADE II, $292,335 MRS. REVERE

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Friday, Nov. 29, 2024) – In her stakes debut, Kehoe Beach led every step of the way in Friday’s 32nd running of the $292,335 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs to win the 3-year-old filly turf race by 1 ¼ lengths over longshot Pounce.

 

Owned by Thomas W. Bachman, Kehoe Beach ran 1 1/16 miles on a “firm” turf in 1:42.45 to collect her third win in a row. Legendary jockey Frankie Dettori rode the winner for trainer Wesley Ward.

 

Kehoe Beach banked the $175,700 first prize and rewarded her backers with $2 mutuels of $4.10, $3.06 and $2.60 as the even-money betting choice.

 

Breaking from post No. 3, Kehoe Beach went straight to the front but remained in the three-path throughout as she rattled off comfortable and unpressured fractions of :24.35, :48.57 and 1:12.43. Pounce, who tracked in second, came within three-quarters of a length around the final bend but Kehoe Beach had plenty of energy in reserve and drew clear with ease down the lane.

 

“She’s a super filly,” Dettori said. “She’s strong but has pace and is very sensible. She uses her breathing right. She knows exactly how to race which makes it a push-button ride for me. When I pushed that button she showed a great turn of foot like she did last time. Wesley was full of confidence going into the race. He even made me stay here in the cold to ride her and I wasn’t going to say no.”

 

Pounce, at odds of 34-1 under Florent Geroux, prevailed in a three-horse photo for the runner-up honors and paid $19.54 and $8.72. Poolside With Slim (IRE), ridden by John Velazquez, was another head back in third at 7-1 and paid $5.30 to show.

 

Minoushka (GB), Buchu, Pin Up Betty, Simply in Front, Sanctify, Chilled, Pharoah’s Wine and Dancing N Dixie completed the order of finish. Neon Icon, Maxisuperfly, Adrasteia and Breezing Along were scratched.

 

The winner’s share of the purse pushed Kehoe Beach’s earnings to $438,518 from a record of 4-1-0 in seven starts. Prior to the Mrs. Revere, Kehoe Beach won a first-level allowance over seven furlongs on turf at Kentucky Downs in September and a second-level allowance over one mile on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 26.

 

“She’s really come to hand here since the summer and coming into herself as she’s a big, powerful filly,” Ward said.

 

Kehoe Beach will be given a rest over the winter and be targeted to Keeneland’s Grade I Jenny Wiley next spring.

 

Kehoe Beach is a bay daughter of Omaha Beach out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Sweet Awakening who was bred in Kentucky by John Bates, Ron Kirk and Michael Riordan.

 

The Mrs. Revere is named in honor of Mrs. Revere, an accomplished Churchill Downs fan favorite in the mid-1980s. Mrs. Revere won 12 races in 28 starts, finished second seven times and earned $429,545 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Her six wins in a dozen starts at Churchill Downs included stakes triumphs in the Regret, Dogwood and Edgewood in 1984 and the Kentucky Cardinal in 1985. She was owned by Dr. Hiram Polk and the late Dr. David Richardson, who have provided the winner’s trophy for the Mrs. Revere in each year of its existence.

 

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CLARK QUOTES

 

Brian Hernandez Jr. (jockey, Rattle N Roll, winner): “Winning this race is such a testament to this horse. 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.”

 

Kenny McPeek (trainer, Rattle N Roll, winner): “It’s been a dream year here at Churchill. 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. None of this happens without the work of (assistant trainer) Greg Geier. I’ve got people on my team like Greg who are in the trenches with these horses at all times and a lot of the credit goes to him. I’ve got multiple divisions and the Churchill division is one I never worry about because of Greg getting horses like Rattle N Roll ready to win these races. He’s still pretty fresh. 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.”

 

Greg Geier (assistant trainer, Rattle N Roll, winner): “He’s been training really well here at Churchill with us before he went to California to try and get into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. When he came back he still had that fire in him and was training just as well. That’s what makes him such a good horse.

 

Florent Geroux (jockey, Most Wanted, runner-up): “I’m proud of his effort. Obviously we wanted to win the race but competing at this level as a 3-year-old speaks volumes to his talent.”

 

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MRS. REVERE QUOTES

 

Frankie Dettori (jockey, Kehoe Beach, winner): “She’s a super filly. She’s strong but has pace and is very sensible. She uses her breathing right. She knows exactly how to race which makes it a push-button ride for me. When I pushed that button she showed a great turn of foot like she did last time. Wesley (Ward) was full of confidence going into the race. He even made me stay here in the cold to ride her and I wasn’t going to say no.”

 

Wesley Ward (trainer, Kehoe Beach, winner): “She’s really come to hand here since the summer and coming into herself as she’s a big, powerful filly. We’ll give her a little break now this winter at Keeneland and get her prepared for the spring and probably start with the Jenny Wiley.”

 

Florent Geroux (jockey, Pounce, runner-up): “She ran a huge race. I was able to track in second throughout and she fought hard the whole stretch.”