ALFRED G. VANDERBILT

HANDICAP (GRADE 1)

UNBEATEN so far in 2015, Rock Fall continued his dazzling win streak and stepped up to the top level with an impressive performance in the $350,000 Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap last Saturday at Saratoga, edging out the King’s Bishop winner The Big Beast in a photo-finish.

The four-year-old son of Speightstown has not been defeated in six straight starts at the six-furlong distance and is four-for-four in 2015.

“He finished powerfully and we were fortunate to be on the right side of a very close head bob,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It’s tough to win a photo against a horse as big as The Big Beast. If you’re head-and-head, he’s got a head on you. We got a fortunate bob and it was a great horse race.”

It was the first Grade 1 win for Stonestreet Stables’ Rock Fall, who last time out won the Grade 2 True North Stakes in June at Belmont Park. With Javier Castellano aboard, the colt closed from third to run down his rival in the nick of time, sent off at even-money in a field of seven.

“It was too close to call,” Castellano said. “The bob could have gone either way. I was lucky it went my way.”

“He was a really nice horse the way he did it today, off the pace,” Castellano added.

“There was a lot of speed in the race and he covered up perfect. Turning for home, I let him go outside. That’s where he likes it and it paid off today. My horse fought back to win the race. I give all the credit to him.”

“I thought we had him, and then I thought he was coming back and he had us, and Javier said The Big Beast just re-rallied,” Pletcher said. “It wasn’t like Rock Fall was slowing down, they were coming home. These were some really top horses. ... This was a big win.”

Rock Fall was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Renda, and was a $250,000 purchase from Kentucky based Irishman Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge consignment at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga select yearling sale.