Keep Cool leads all the way to upset Mecke

Keep Cool was allowed to set an uncontested pace and made the most of the opportunity, outlasting Bob's Proud Moment to register a one-length victory in Monday's $100,000 at Calder.

Keep Cool took command shortly after the start of the 1 1/8-mile Mecke and was rated to perfection on the lead by regular rider Jose Rivera II. Bob's Proud Moment chased the winner most of the way and took one last run at the leader through the final furlong, but was second best. Demeteor rallied mildly to finish third.

Final Prophecy, the even-money favorite off a pair of stakes wins, raced a bit wide and was never a factor, finishing seventh in a full field of 12 turf specialists. Only 11 of the 12 horses finished the race; Cervelo reared at the start and lost his rider.

Keep Cool covered the distance in 1:49.87 over a "good" course and paid $21.40. The win was the second this year for Keep Cool, who captured the Flying Pidgeon Handicap in wire-to-wire fashion here last fall.

"When Cervelo lost his rider, that changed everything," said Victor Falzone, who trains Keep Cool for the Skys The Limit Racing Stable. "With those early fractions, I knew he was in good shape. That's his style. Go to the front and try to slow it down."