Rattle N Roll, Hit Show and Gosger set to clash again in the Clark Stakes

The three runners who locked horns in the Fayette Stakes (G3) at Keeneland will collide again this Friday at Churchill Downs

Hit Show, a son of Candy Ride, winning the latest Dubai World Cup / DRC

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Special to Turf Diario).- Recent history could repeat itself this Friday at Churchill Downs, when three familiar rivals clash once again in the Clark Stakes (G2, US$600,000, 1 1/8 miles). Hit Show, Rattle N Roll and Gosger—the same trio that fought out the finish of the Fayette Stakes (G3) at Keeneland—meet again, over the same distance and with the same order in the morning line.

It will mark the sixth meeting between Hit Show and Rattle N Roll, with a 4–1 advantage for the son of Argentine legend Candy Ride, although the only victory for the runner trained by Kenny McPeek came precisely in this race last year. His owners, Sharaf Mohamad Alhariri and Lucky Seven Stable, will be hoping for a repeat of that memorable afternoon.

After a dull performance in the Lukas Classic (G2) following a five-month layoff and a winter campaign in the Middle East, the veteran Rattle N Roll showed signs of revival in the Fayette, closing strongly from the back and finishing just one length behind after swinging wide in the stretch.

According to jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., his resurgence is no coincidence: “He seems to be made of iron. When you think he’s given everything, he comes back for more. He’s training better all the time and he always responds,” he said in recent comments. Hernandez, who will reunite with him for the first time since the 2024 Clark, also pointed to two excellent workouts since his Keeneland run.

The race shape could suit his late kick, with several pace factors signed on, including Cooke Creek (Uncle Mo), Chunk of Gold (Preservationist), Who Dey (Liam’s Map), Willy D’s (Lookin At Lucky) and the dangerous Magnitude(Not This Time), from the stable of Steve Asmussen, who showed his versatility when finishing second in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1).

That strong early tempo could also play into the hands of Hit Show, who, with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, is expected to settle midpack while the front-runners go at it early. Trainer Brad Cox has made no secret of his international ambitions, pointing to this race as a key step toward another attempt at the Dubai World Cup (G1), a race in which his charge has already left his mark.

Meanwhile, the three-year-old Gosger (Nyquist), from Harvey A. Clarke Racing Stables, will try to take the next step against older horses. Often on the premises but repeatedly run down late, trainer Brendan Walsh has opted to add blinkers in search of sharper focus in the stretch.

“In the finish he sometimes loses concentration a bit. We’re going to try him with blinkers, we think they can help him. If he keeps progressing the way he has all year, he’ll have a big chance,” the trainer explained.

A high-class renewal, full of depth and intrigue—and with a familiar storyline that promises another thrilling chapter on the Churchill Downs dirt.