Rhetorical Romps in Turf Classic Stakes

When trainer Will Walden walked Rhetorical out of the Churchill Downs paddock for the $1,414,000 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), it took him several steps to hand the 5-year-old gelding to the pony. That was the extent of any trouble as Rhetorical took the field gate to wire with a convincing 3 1/4-length win in the 40th running of the 1 1/8-mile race preceding the Kentucky Derby (G1). "He's tough in the paddock," Walden said. "Once the lip chain comes off, he knows what time it is." The 9-5 favorite ran alone on the lead in a pace that was honest—the first quarter in :23.51, followed by the half in :47.40, three-quarters in 1:10.70, the mile in 1:34.29, and the final time of 1:45.96. "He was doing it the right way, honestly," jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. The fraction was honest, "but he was going the right way. Most of the time he's like fighting with me, and he still gave me a good kick on the end." As long as Rhetorical was relaxed, Ortiz said he felt he could go a little quicker and still save energy. "And that's what happened today," he said For Rhetorical, it was the sixth win in nine starts, most recently a third in the Makers Mark Mile (G1T) last month at Keeneland, which Walden said "was like the Breeders' Cup Mile in April" because of how tough the field was. Walden said he debated entering Rhetorical in Churchill's Turf Classic off that short rest, but went ahead when the field came up lighter than expected. "It really wasn't part of the plan. … He's been training like a wild horse," Walden said. "You know, when they're ready, you just gotta let them." Rhetorical gave Walden his first grade 1 win in last year's Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, and this was the second for both horse and trainer. The 5-year-old gelded son of Not This Time was bred in New York by Mallory and Karen Mort. The $833,280 winner's share of the purse brings Rhetorical's career earnings to $1,806,730. Make Me King (FR)—in his United States debut for Wathnan Racing—came on to finish second at 8-1. "I saved the ground and then I tipped out into the clear," his jockey Jose Ortiz said. "He gave me a very good run. You know, the winner got away by himself on the lead with nice fractions, and he's also a very nice horse." Corruption finished third, while second choice Test Score, the winner of the Jan. 24 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T), was off the board. Walden said the end-of-year goal for Rhetorical will be the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, with possibly the Wise Dan Stakes (G2T) at Churchill being the next start—but he's in no rush. "We're working backwards from that," Walden said. Walden credited his owners and his father, Elliott Walden, who bought the horse initially. Rhetorical originally raced for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm. He was sold last year after winning an allowance race and runs for Gary Barber, Cheyenne Stable, and Wachtel Stable. "It's a huge stage," Walden said of the Derby Day win, "and I'm just blessed to have great owners that provide us some great horses. This goes all the way back to my old man. He bought the horse." Longshot Astronomer scratched from the field.