Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll  is back in action at Churchill Downs Sept. 28 in the $500,000 Lukas Classic (G2), his first start since finishing fourth in the same race one year ago.

“We’re real excited about him, he’s come back stronger than ever,” said trainer Kenny McPeek.

A leading contender in the older horse division in the first half of 2023, Lucky Seven Stable’s son of Connect   suffered bone bruising that put him on the sidelines after consecutive off-the-board finishes to close out the year. The 5-year-old returned to the worktab July 20 and has breezed weekly ever since.

Bred by St. Simon Place, Rattle N Roll has won eight of 21 starts, winning in graded company five times and banking $1,732,141 in earnings. Although not an official prep for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), McPeek sees the 1 1/8-mile Lukas as a chance to send his reliable runner to Del Mar Nov. 2.

“He needs to jump back in the game and run big, he’s perfectly capable of doing that,” McPeek said. “If he can win this race, I’ll take him to the (Breeders’ Cup) Classic.”

Historically, Rattle N Roll has benefitted from some pace ahead of him, something jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will hope to settle behind after breaking from post 2.

The Competitors

On paper, there does not appear to be much pace among Rattle N Roll’s seven rivals. That bodes well for Cooke Creek  from post 4, who makes his first graded stakes start since June 2023.

The 5-year-old Uncle Mo   gelding was put on the lead by Jose Ortiz for the first time in a year May 27, taking the field all the way over 1 1/16 miles to win that claiming race by two lengths. He was claimed for $40,000 that day by Flying P Stable and trainer Mike Maker.

In two allowance starts for the new connections, he has prompted the pace to victory by a combined 8 1/4 lengths while posting Equibase Speed Figures over 100. Jockey Luis Saez takes over in the saddle as Jose Ortiz will pilot Rigney Racing’s Warrior Johny  from the far outside.

Wathnan Racing’s Hit Show  joins Cooke Creek as the only contenders entering off a victory, which the 4-year-old colt picked up in the Aug. 4 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes (G3) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort. A contender on the Triple Crown trail as a 3-year-old, Hit Show has won two of three starts this year for trainer Brad Cox. Florent Geroux will ride from post 6 as Hit Show carries 123 pounds, two more than all his competitors.

Churchill Downs’ leading rider Tyler Gaffalione rides Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Disarm  for the first time since his maiden victory in August 2022. The 4-year-old Gun Runner   colt was last seen finishing third in the Sept. 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Grade 1 winner Stilleto Boy  returned from a seven-month layoff Aug. 31 by sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on turf in allowance company. Seventh that day, the Shackleford  gelding now returns to his usual dirt route in search of crossing the $2 million earnings mark.