Rock Fall Will Likely Face Stern Test in Vosburgh

The lightly raced but highly talented Rock Fall faces what might be his toughest task to date on Saturday when he takes on a swift and seasoned group of six sprinters vying for an all-fees paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh at Belmont Park.

 

The six-furlong Vosburgh is one of five graded stakes at Belmont on Saturday's11-race card highlighted by the Grade 1, $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, which, like the Vosburgh, is part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" series of races.

 

Winner of six straight, including a nose victory over The Big Beast in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt last month at Saratoga Race Course, the 4-year-old Rock Fall has quickly carved out a niche as for himself as a highly effective sprinter who is not dependent on the perfect pace scenario.

 

"I think what makes him very good and sets him apart from other sprinters is that he can track a strong pace and still come on with a turn of foot," said Todd Pletcher, who trains the Speightstown colt for Stonestreet Stables. "Some sprinters will come out of the gate and run the others off their feet; others will fall back and make one late run. With him, if the pace is slow, he can be on top of the pace, if it's fast, he can drop back."

 

Unraced at 2, Rock Fall's lone loss came in his first start in April 2014 at Gulfstream Park, where he finished eighth of 10, beaten 16 lengths. He turned around and earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure in an off-the-turf sprint at Belmont and was put away for the year after an easy victory in a first-level allowance in June. He returned this spring to win a pair of optional claimers at Gulfstream and Keeneland, and then made his stakes debut a winning one, coming from just off the pace to take command in the stretch and pull clear to a 3 ¾-length win in the Grade 2 True North in June, garnering a career-best 110 Beyer.

 

He employed similar tactics in the Vanderbilt, dropping back to fourth before rallying to collar The Big Beast with a furlong to go and winning the bob under regular rider Javier Castellano.

 

"Since he's come back this year, we haven't missed anything we've wanted to run in," said Pletcher. "With the Breeders' Cup in mind, we didn't want to overuse him."

 

Castellano has the mount again on Rock Fall, who drew post position No. 7 and was tabbed the 2-5 morning-line favorite.

 

While Rock Fall has raced only seven times, he will be facing a group of veterans who have averaged 25 starts among them, including the millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Palace. Unraced since stumbling at the break and finishing third in the John Morrissey in July at Saratoga, the 6-year-old New York-bred finished third in last year's Vosburgh, after which he was sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint and fifth in his only other start of 2015, the Grade 1 Carter in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.

 

"We've had a few hiccups with him this year," said trainer Linda Rice of Palace, who carries the colors of Antonino Miuccio. "He grabbed a quarter coming out of the gate in the John Morrissey, and we spent the rest of the meet healing that up. He's had a few breezes since, and his last one [59.85 seconds on Sunday] was quite good, enough so we thought we would take a stab at this and hope for some good races this fall."

 

Jose Ortiz has the mount on Palace, who drew the rail and was listed at 8-1 on the morning line.

 

Trainer David Jacobson has entered the salty duo of Stallwalkin' Dude, most recently victorious in the Tale of the Cat on August 23 at the Spa, and multiple graded stakes winner Salutos Amigos, fourth behind Rock Fall in the Vanderbilt and fifth next time out in the Grade 1 Forego.

 

Salutos Amigos, who will be making his 32^nd career start in the Vosburgh, in which he finished fourth last year to Private Zone, drew post position 6 and will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, while Stallwalkin' Dude, making his 33^rd career start and first in a Grade 1, will leave from post position 5 under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

 

Salutos Amigos was listed at 5-1 on the morning line with Stallwalkin' Dude at 12-1.