McPeek 'Leaning' Toward Juvenile With Rattle N Roll

Trainer Kenny McPeek said Oct. 15 he is "probably leaning" toward running Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll  in the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by TAA (G1) Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

The Connect   2-year-old earned a paid Juvenile berth with a victory in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 9 at Keeneland. However, McPeek suggested in a post-race interview that he could instead wait for the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in late November. Placement there, he said at the time, might leave Rattle N Roll well prepared for major races as a 3-year-old next spring.

The trainer said Friday there is no rush to decide before Breeders' Cup World Championships pre-entries are due Oct. 25.

"We came out of the race good. We're possible, for sure," he said.

Jack Christopher , Corniche , and Commandperformance  are three of the likely Juvenile favorites. Corniche won the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, while Jack Christopher and Commandperformance ran 1-2 in a swiftly run Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

Rattle N Roll is one of three "Win and You're In" prospects McPeek trains, the other being Phoenix Thoroughbred's Tiz the Bomb  and Arriba Arequipa's Reina de Mollendo . The former qualified for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) after winning the Oct. 10 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland, the latter for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) after taking the Clasico Pamplona (G1) at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Peru for South American trainer Luis Olivares.

"I would have loved to have run her, learned more about her," McPeek said of Reina de Mollendo. "She's training forwardly, doing everything right. She acts like a nice filly.

"But you're going from a South American race to a worldwide grade 1. I don't know how she will fit at this stage, but we're getting her ready."

A number of European-based fillies and mares are expected for the 1 3/8-mile Filly & Mare Turf, in which War Like Goddess  is among the leading domestic prospects.

Though Tiz the Bomb, a son of Hit It a Bomb  , has also won on dirt, McPeek said the Juvenile Turf is his preference.

"We'll keep them separated," he said of his 2-year-olds. "At this point, he's staying turf."

Brian Hernandez Jr. rode both McPeek-trained colts to their victories at Keeneland.

North American stakes winners Annapolis , Albahr , and Dakota Gold  are some of the anticipated opponents Tiz the Bomb would face in the Juvenile Turf. 

McPeek had wanted to run Tiz the Bomb in the Breeders' Futurity before rerouting him to the Bourbon when another of Phoenix Thoroughbred's horses, Double Thunder , was aimed at the race by trainer Todd Pletcher. Double Thunder ran second to Rattle N Roll, beaten 4 1/4 lengths.

McPeek is looking for an elusive first win in the Breeders' Cup after having 16 of his 36 prior Breeders' Cup starters run either second or third.