Rock Fall likely to skip Forego, point to Vosburgh

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rock Fall, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt by a nose over The Big Beast, likely will skip the Grade 1 Forego here Aug. 29 and instead point to the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park on Sept. 26, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Rock Fall won his sixth straight race in the Vanderbilt. He is a son of Speightstown, whom Pletcher trained to victories in the Vanderbilt and Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 2004 on his way to being named champion sprinter. In between, Speightstown finished third in the Vosburgh.

“Speightstown, we tried to space his races out similarly,” Pletcher said. “So, you want to come in, take your best shot at the Breeders’ Cup. We know he likes Belmont, we know he likes Keeneland. We’ll play it by ear, but my first reaction would be to wait on the Vosburgh.”

The Big Beast, meanwhile, will run in the Forego. Last year, The Big Beast won the Grade 1 King’s Bishop here for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

“Our horse ran fantastic,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “Too bad Johnny [Velazquez] lost the stick. Had Johnny kept the stick, would it have been different? That’s everybody’s opinion, but I have to feel real good about the Beast’s effort and performance. I think the Beast proved that he’s among the good sprinters. That performance yesterday deserves a lot of respect.”

Rock Fall and The Big Beast each earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure for the Vanderbilt.

Palace, last year’s Vanderbilt and Forego winner, will not make it to this year’s Forego. Palace sustained a significant gash on a front foot after stumbling badly at the start of the John Morrissey Stakes last Thursday.

Trainer Linda Rice said she hopes Palace can make it back in time for the Vosburgh at Belmont.