Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club; 1 1/16 miles; Churchill Downs; Nov. 24, 2018 (10 Derby qualifying points for a win, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth) Winner: Signalman, by General Quarters Trainer: Kenny McPeek Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr. Owner: Tommie Lewis, David Bernsen, and Magdalena Racing Beyer Speed Figure: 84 :: Want to get the latest news with your past performances? Try DRF’s new digital PPs After finishing second in the Breeders’ Futurity and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, SIGNALMAN got his first stakes victory against what looks, at this point, like a moderate field of runners. This race was run over a sloppy, sealed track, so obviously if he encounters similar conditions in the future, that bodes well, and he now has a win over the track where the Kentucky Derby will be run. In fact, in three starts at Churchill Downs, he has never finished out of the money. Signalman will need to boost his Beyer Speed Figures if he is to be regarded as a serious Derby contender next spring. There’s certainly time for that to happen. He progressed nicely during the year, and though he was no match for Game Winner in the Breeders’ Cup, he ran well that day, in large part because of a sensational ride from Hernandez. Hernandez rode another terrific race here. Signalman raced mid-pack while saving ground around the first turn, made good progress while hugging the rail near the end of the backstretch, patiently waited for room going around the far turn while behind TOPPER T, split horses in upper stretch, drifted out slightly a furlong out, but kept to his task under right-handed pressure and held off PLUS QUE PARFAIT. He has benefitted from sweet trips in his last two starts. Hernandez and he are a good pair. Plus Que Parfait, who was second, had stalked the pace in his last two starts but settled toward the rear of the pack early after bobbling slightly leaving the gate. He had to go around rivals on the far turn and wound up four paths wide for most of the turn, came into the lane in the five path, kept to his task but came up short, though he lost far more ground that he was defeated. He has very turfy action and in fact started his career on grass. LIMONITE, who was third, raced at the rear of the field around the first turn, saved ground much of the way until approaching the quarter pole, was angled out to the middle of the track for a clear run, and closed quickly, but the race was fast early, slow late, which aided his cause. KING FOR A DAY, who finished fourth, bobbled slightly leaving the gate, took up a stalking position just behind the leaders while in the three path around the first turn, advanced three to four paths wide on the far turn, took the lead entering the lane, tired late and just got nosed out for third. This was his first race around two turns. It wasn’t a bad effort, as he was close to a hot pace and wasn’t beaten much at the end, but the track condition might have moved him up. He’s bred to love slop. ROILAND, who was fifth, had to check shortly after the start and was near the back of the field while three paths wide into the first turn. He made strong progress on the far turn, was able to split horses in upper stretch, but went evenly in  the final furlong. TRACKSMITH, who was sixth, saved ground in the latter half of the field around the first turn, followed Signalman late on the backstretch and for most of the far turn, angled out near the quarter pole to avoid traffic and was in an ideal striking position coming into the lane but couldn’t finish off the race. This was a waste of a great ride by Adam Beschizza. His first three starts were on turf, so perhaps that’s where he returns. CURRENT, who finished seventh, veered in and bumped sharply with ROYAL URN leaving the gate, was at the rear of the field while hugging the rail around the first turn, ran into some traffic on the far turn while also appearing to race erratically, was hard to handle in upper stretch, had Limonite flash past him in upper stretch, and finished evenly. He seems a bit flighty. This was his first try on dirt, so he also could go back to grass. Topper T, who was eighth, showed good speed from his outside draw and vied for the early lead around the first turn with KNICKS GO, took command into the backstretch, rolled along in front until nearing the quarter pole, came under a ride, hung in there until the three-sixteenths pole, but then emptied out. DUNPH, who was ninth, broke well, then settled just behind the early leaders while on the rail. He came off the rail with a half-mile to go – which was of benefit to Signalman – was right with Signalman entering the lane, drifted out and tired. Royal Urn, who was 10th, bobbled leaving the gate and then was bumped, raced three paths wide while mid-pack around the first turn, was asked aggressively while three paths wide heading around the far turn, and never really punched it in. He seems far more comfortable on turf. Knicks Go, who was 11th, was sent along from his wide draw and got over to the rail early on the first turn. He was outrun by Topper T down the backstretch, took aim on Topper T from the outside on the far turn, was asked for his all approaching the quarter pole, but steadily retreated. Perhaps racing just 22 days after his big effort behind Game Winner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile caused him to bounce. MICK’S STAR, who was 12th, raced between horses while just behind the early leaders around the first turn, had trouble holding his position near the far turn, dived to the rail and made decent progress into the lane, but faded badly in the final furlong. BLUE STEEL, who was 13th, settled into an ideal spot behind the two early leaders around the first turn, was keen into the backstretch while racing outside Knicks Go, started to lose ground and then checked three furlongs out, then stopped badly and was not persevered with. EVERFAST, who finished last of 14, could not get over from his wide draw and went into the first turn in the four path, started to drop back badly early on the backstretch, went into the far turn three paths wide while at the rear, then continued his hasty retreat.