Rock Fall flaunts talent in 109 Beyer win

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Rock Fall and Delaunay were rare 9-10 co-favorites while being matched up in one of the more eventful races last weekend at Keeneland.

Rock Fall extended his win streak to four, getting a smart ride from Javier Castellano in winning the $66,470 allowance Saturday by nine lengths. He earned a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure on his way to the stakes ranks for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Delaunay, meanwhile, was lucky to escape injury when he lost all realistic chance at the start of the six-furlong race. The $1.1 million earner nearly fell on his head, and jockey Jimmy Graham did a great job just to stay aboard. Delaunay eventually sped into contention to draw nearly even with Rock Fall at the quarter pole, only to fade to third from those efforts.

“He’s OK, fortunately,” trainer Tom Amoss confirmed Monday. “We’ll live to fight another day.”

◗ Churchill Downs begins its spring meet Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern with a card highlighted by a new feature, the $100,000 William Walker for 3-year-olds at six furlongs. The race effectively replaces the Derby Trial, which has been renamed the Pat Day Mile and moved to the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Churchill will not race the first Sunday of the meet April 26 and instead will begin its five-day Derby week with a Tuesday card, a schedule that went into effect a couple of years ago.

◗ Trainer Larry Jones said the next start is undecided for Chief Istan after the 3-year-old colt ran the fastest six furlongs (1:09.50) of the Keeneland meet in thrashing what shaped up as a terrific field of first-level allowance sprinters Friday. Chief Istan earned a 101 Beyer.

Another impressive Friday winner was Speightster, a 3-year-old colt who won his career debut by seven lengths to earn a 90 Beyer for WinStar Farm and trainer Bill Mott. WinStar president Elliott Walden said a first-level allowance likely is next for the son of Speightstown.

◗ The Keeneland stewards have handed down three-day suspensions to three jockeys for riding infractions last week. Those penalties are to be served this week.

Set down were Miguel Mena for his ride on Here’s Fat, disqualified from third to fourth in the fourth race Friday; Luis Saez, whose mount, Lookaroundcorners, was disqualified from first to 10th in the seventh race Saturday; and Arienne Cox, who caused interference aboard Jiggin Witit before finishing last in the fourth race Saturday.

◗ Jockey Joe Bravo enters this week at Keeneland with 4,993 career victories, having added to that total with an improbable victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Elkhorn aboard Dramedy, who won the 1 1/2-mile turf race as the longest shot in the field at 30-1.