Rattle N Roll Makes Noise in Ben Ali

As he did as a 2-year-old when he captured the 2021 Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll delivered again April 22 at the Lexington oval, rallying to defeat Call Me Fast  and Pioneer of Medina  in the $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3).

The victory improved the 4-year-old's record at Keeneland to 2-for-4 and to 6-for-16 overall with earnings of more than $1.2 million.

Sixth of seven early in the 1 3/16-mile dirt race as Pioneer of Medina went to the lead with an opening quarter in :23.34, Rattle N Roll made steady progress beginning in the first of two turns and down the backstretch. Fifth after a half-mile in :47.62, the Connect   colt moved up into third on the inside after six furlongs in 1:12.18, with Pioneer of Medina still leading over a pressing Trademark .

With his path blocked, Rattle N Roll responded to jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.'s cue to slow his momentum, and after waiting for room on the second turn, was angled out three wide by his rider coming in the lane. Rattle N Roll then passed the two leaders and withstood a late charge from runner-up Call Me Fast to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths. The winner was timed in 1:56.48, paying $7.98 for a $2 win wager.

"He doesn't get in a hurry early, but when he gets in his rhythm, you just stay out of his way," Hernandez said. "And he's known (to have) the tendency to make an early move, but that's just him. And if you try to slow him down, when he starts to make his move, you just kind of compromise him. I've learned to just kind of stay out of his way and let him run his race and leave it up to him."

Pioneer of Medina weakened to third, three lengths ahead of fourth-place Happy American .

Favored Skippylongstocking , a three-time graded stakes winner who was third in last year's Belmont Stakes (G1), ran a non-threatening fifth after stalking the pace.

Trademark and 2022 Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Tawny Port  completed the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by St. Simon Place, Rattle N Roll is the lone winner from five foals out of the Johannesburg  mare Jazz Tune . One of her three unraced foals is not yet of racing age, a yearling Liam's Map colt.

McPeek won the Ben Ali for the third time after success from Frac Daddy  in 2014 and Rated R Superstar  in 2018. Hernandez won the race for the second time following his initial victory aboard the Neil Howard-trained Eagle   in 2016.

McPeek said the credit for Saturday's victory largely belongs to his Churchill Downs-based assistant trainer Greg Geier and the colt's groom, Peter Soria.

"It's teammates like that (who) help us get here, and unfortunately, they don't get the glory of it all, but Greg Geier and Peter Soria are fabulous horsemen and contribute to this horse's daily routine more than I do," he said.

The winner was a $210,000 purchase by McPeek from the Paramount Sales consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. As a weanling in the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, he was a $55,000 acquisition by Rexy Bloodstock when consigned by Select Sales.