Rattle N Roll (Connect) provided his first-crop sire with a first Grade I win, and potentially a Breeders' Cup-bound colt to go along with his promising filly Hidden Connection, as he powered away to an impressive score in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.
A three-length, third-out, two-turn maiden winner at Churchill Sept. 23, the 8-1 shot stumbled slightly at the start and sat a midpack trip while saving ground as favored Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) cleared from his wide draw through fractions of :22.81 and :46.74. Shifted out by Brian Hernandez, Jr. entering the far turn, the Lucky Seven Stable colorbearer and $210,000 KEESEP graduate revved up with a flashy, four-wide blitz rounding the bend, struck the front as they hit the top of the short stretch and powered home an impressive 4 1/4-length winner.
Double Thunder (Super Saver), a last out winner of the Sapling S. at Monmouth, grabbed second ahead of the pacesetting Classic Causeway, who entered off a sharp debut score sprinting at Saratoga.
Rattle N Roll, a rallying third from far back behind subsequent GI Hopeful S. winner Gunite (Gun Runner) on debut sprinting beneath the Twin Spires June 26, bolted on the second turn and was pulled up in a nine-furlong test at Saratoga Aug. 26 prior to his maiden breaker.
“He made a start at Churchill in the spring and it was more of a test drive than anything, trying to teach him to finish and everything,” winning trainer Ken McPeek said.
“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.
McPeek continued, “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.”
Hernandez, Jr. added, “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.”
Pedigree Notes:
Rattle N Roll is the second stakes winner for freshman sire Connect, who is also represented by ultra-impressive and unbeaten GIII Pocahontas S. heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-bound Hidden Connection. This is the 52nd stakes/26th graded/ninth Grade I winner for broodmare sire Johannesburg. He was also represented by last weekend's GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Going to Vegas (Goldencents).
The winning mare Jazz Tune, also responsible for a Tapwrit colt of 2020 (purchased by Oracle Bloodstock, agent for $55,000 at KEESEP), was bred to Liam's Map for 2022. Jazz Tune was purchased by St. Simon Place for $20,000 at the 2016 KEENOV sale. She RNA'd for $55,000 at the same sale two years later while carrying Rattle N Roll.
Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS' FUTURITY-GI, $500,000, Keeneland, 10-9, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.78, ft.
1–RATTLE N ROLL, 122, c, 2, by Connect
1st Dam: Jazz Tune, by Johannesburg
2nd Dam: Rap and Dance, by Pleasant Tap
3rd Dam: Dance Review, by Northern Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($55,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $210,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-St. Simon Place (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $300,000.
Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $379,460. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Double Thunder, 122, c, 2, Super Saver–Rattataptap, by
Tapit. ($60,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $100,000.
3–Classic Causeway, 122, c, 2, Giant's Causeway–Private World,
by Thunder Gulch. O-Kentucky West Racing LLC and Cooper,
Clarke M.; B-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M. Cooper
Family Living Trust (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $50,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 8.70, 7.20, 1.90.
Also Ran: American Sanctuary, Costa Terra, Mr. Bouma, Stellar Tap, Kevin's Folly, Great Escape, Seal Beach, Mac's Time, King Curlin, Don't Wait Up. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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