Rated R Superstar mows them down to win Ben Ali

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Last of seven behind an uncontested pace, Rated R Superstar nonetheless passed them all on his way to an eye-catching victory Saturday in the 88th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Ben Ali at Keeneland.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Rated R Superstar looped five rivals leaving the final turn before reeling in the pacesetting favorite, Chip Leader. He returned $14.60 after finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.31 over a fast track, and earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

“It’s really great to do this in front of this crowd,” said Kenny McPeek, who trains Rated R Superstar for Radar Racing LLC. “I’ve had this horse since he was a 2-year-old. We’ve had to tinker with his running style at times, try a little of this, a little of that. It’s very gratifying to see him put it all together like this.”

Chip Leader, the 19-10 favorite under John Velazquez, set solo fractions of 24.22, 48.19, and 1:12.77 when pulling clear of his closest pursuers, Rafting and Aurora Way. By then, however, Rated R Superstar was well under way, and he went past inside the eighth pole with little resistance from Chip Leader.

“I had a lot of confidence in him,” said Castellano. “It was very impressive the way he did it today because it was a slow pace. I liked the way he moved turning for home. I’m very satisfied with the way he ran.”

Rated R Superstar, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Kodiak Kowboy, now has a 5-5-5 record from 24 starts and earnings of $492,154. His lone prior stakes win came in the Grade 3 Carry Back at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park in July 2016.

The $2 exacta (5-6) paid $53.20, the $1 trifecta (5-6-1) returned $141, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-6-1-4) was worth $67.11.

This was the fourth Ben Ali win for Castellano, following Wanderin Boy (2006), Exhi (2011), and Protonico (2015), and the second for McPeek (Frac Daddy, 2014).