Signalman charges to victory in Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kenny McPeek is looking forward to what a horse like Signalman can do when the distances get longer.
“I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with this horse,” McPeek said Saturday after sending out Signalman to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes under the Churchill Downs lights.
With his neck triumph over Plus Que Parfait in the 1 1/16-mile KJC, Signalman earned 10 qualifying points toward the 145th Kentucky Derby on May 4. The win over a sealed, muddy track came in encouraging fashion, with Signalman charging from off the pace under Brian Hernandez Jr.
“This horse puts a lot of confidence in us,” Hernandez said. “Funny thing was, he was looking at the TV screen (in the infield) and wasn’t paying attention to his job, really. I was kind of worried something would nail him late, but he was holding them off and doing what he needed to do.”
Signalman returned $9.20 as second choice in a full field of 2-year-olds after finishing in 1:45.29.
A $32,000 yearling purchase by General Quarters, Signalman is owned by the partnership of Tommie Lewis, David Bemsen, and Magdalena Racing. A maiden winner at Saratoga on Sept. 1, the bay colt had closed well in his two prior efforts when second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile earlier this month at Churchill.
Under the lights, longshot Topper T set the early pace in the 92nd KJD, but was finished by the quarter-pole – and here they all came. Signalman, having saved ground from post 1, had clear sailing when staying close to the rail for the drive, holding off Plus Que Parfait, a 14-1 shot coming off a maiden win last month at Keeneland.
“The colt ran huge,” said Brendan Walsh, trainer of Plus Que Parfait.
It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Limonte, who got third by a nose over King for a Day.
Clearly the disappointment of the race was Knicks Go, a lukewarm 3-1 favorite who gave closest chase to Topper T in the early going and had nothing left for the drive when finishing 11th. The gray colt was coming off a runner-up finish at 40-1 behind the certain divisional champion, Game Winner, in the BC Juvenile in an effort that followed a 70-1 upset in the Breeders’ Futurity.
“He’s fine,” jockey Albin Jimenez said afterward. “He ran hard for a while.”
McPeek will consolidate his stable this winter in Florida between Gulfstream Park and Payson Park, with Signalman likely to be among the Payson string.
The $2 exacta (1-5) paid $97, the $1 trifecta (1-5-7) returned $418.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-5-7-12) was worth $269.66.
The KJC and its twin sister, the Grade 2 Golden Rod, anchored a 12-race Stars of Tomorrow card exclusively for 2-year-olds. Liora ($56.80) won the Golden Rod among a number of outstanding performances earlier in the day.
Saturday was the penultimate day of the 21-day Churchill fall meet. Sunday is closing day. Mandatory payouts of all jackpot wagers are in effect, including the Single 6 (race 7-12), for which there is no carryover after the pool was swept Saturday for a $500,256 score.
