Calder: Keep Cool steals stakes

Jockey Jose Rivera II and Keep Cool lulled the opposition to sleep with slow early fractions, then had plenty left to withstand 5-2 favorite Twilight Road for a 2 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Flying Pidgeon Handicap at Calder.

Keep Cool used similar tactics to win his only previous start on grass. A son of Frosty the Snowman, Keep Cool ($23.40) held a clear lead after an opening quarter-mile in 25.24 seconds and a half in 50.68.

Twilight Road, who registered the first turf victory of his long career in last month's Grade 3 Miami Mile Breeders' Cup Handicap, raced three wide around the turn before wearing down Unbridels King to finish second.

Keep Cool covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.61 over a good course. Owned by Sherry Ralph's Skys The Limit Stable, Keep Cool gave Victor Falzone the first stakes win of his 30-year training career.

"They let us get away with pretty easy fractions and we were able to take advantage of it," said Falzone. "He's really doing good now on turf and you like to keep them doing what they're doing best when they are winning."