Pimlico wrapup: Rattle N Roll, Maple Leaf Mel win graded stakes
Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll, trailing all but one horse in the early going, powered through the Pimlico stretch on the far outside Friday to run down pace-setting Speed Bias and get his nose down on the wire in a thrilling edition of the Grade 3, $250,000 Pimlico Special.
The 1 3/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up marked the second straight stakes victory on the program for jockey Flavien Prat following Asprey in the $100,000 Hilltop. It also was his and trainer Ken McPeek’s first time winning the Pimlico Special.
Favored at even money in a field of seven, Rattle N Roll ($4.20) led only late-running, multiple stakes winner Armando R in the early stages. Speed Bias, a 4-year-old son of champion Uncle Mo making his stakes debut, lived up to his name and took the field through fractions of 23.56, 47.58 and 1:10.77 tracked by 17-1 long shot Keystone Field, winner of the 1 1/8-mile Claiming Crown Jewel last fall.
After saving ground early, Prat swung Rattle N Roll to the outside on the far turn and they began to pick up horses, cruising up to even terms with Keystone Field at the top of the stretch and moving into second after the mile went in 1:35.61.
From there it was a matter of having enough time to catch Speed Bias, and the 4-year-old colt owned by Lucky Seven Stable was relentless in his pursuit, emerging from the photo finish in front as the two horses battled to the wire. The winning time was 1:54.72 over a fast main track.
It was 4 1/4 lengths back to last-out Ghostzapper (G3) winner Clapton in third. Keystone Field, Kuchar, Law Professor and Armando R completed the order of finish.
McPeek and the connections initially considered the 1 1/8-mile Blame (G3) on June 3 at Churchill Downs but opted instead for the Pimlico Special because of the distance at which Rattle N Roll is 2-for-3. The race is the same distance as the Preakness, a race McPeek won with filly Swiss Skydiver in 2020. Previously, McPeek ran fifth with Rated R Superstar in the 2018 Pimlico Special and third with Tejano Run in 1997.
Already a millionaire, 5-year-old Rattle N Roll improved to 7-for-17 lifetime including wins in the April 22 Ben Ali (G3), 2022 Oklahoma Derby (G3), St. Louis Derby and American Derby and 2021 Breeders’ Futurity (G1).
Maple Leaf Mel is 4-for-4 after Miss Preakness win
New York-bred Maple Leaf Mel, racing against open company for the first time, ran her career record to 4-0 with a 1 1/2-length triumph in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) at Pimlico.
Owned by August Dawn Farm and based in New York with trainer Jeremiah Englehart, Maple Leaf Mel ($5.40) has won all four of her races with jockey Joel Rosario aboard. Friday’s win in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies was the second of the afternoon for Rosario following 4-year-old filly Roses for Debra ($6) in race 5.
Grade 2-winning, odds-on favorite Key of Life broke running and found herself on the lead early until Maple Leaf Mel came rolling on the far outside to take over the top spot following a quarter-mile in 22.26 seconds.
In the clear and moving easily under Rosario, Maple Leaf Mel rolled through a half in 45.21 and went five furlongs in 56.96 seconds before finishing at 1:09.56 over a fast main track while under wraps.
Topsy made a late run to be second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of L Street Lady, winner of the Jan. 21 Xtra Heat at Laurel Park. They were followed by Afternoon Tea, Key of Life and Bound by Destiny.
Maple Leaf Mel, by Cross Traffic, broke her maiden at first asking in August and, two weeks later, captured the 6 1/2-furlong Seeking the Ante over a sloppy track, both at Saratoga. She went unraced until March 24, when she rolled by a 7 3/4-length triumph in the six-furlong East View at Aqueduct. Her four wins, all in front-running fashion, have come by a combined 17 3/4 lengths.
It was the first Miss Preakness victory for both Rosario and Englehart.
