The third of five pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) opens Friday at noon ET with the familiar “All Other 3-Year-Olds†– a.k.a. “the field†– as the 5/2 morning-line favorite. But it opened with a new co-individual favorite sharing that status with a familiar favorite. That newcomer […]
Tag: Kenny McPeek
Holy Bull! Mo Donegal, Giant Game, Tiz the Bomb Keys in Derby Prep
Dale Romans was talking about his horse, Giant Game. But he spoke for all his fellow trainers in Saturday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull when he distilled the meaning of this Kentucky Derby prep. “Like we say every year, this is the time for the 2-year-olds to turn into men and grow […]
McPeek Trying to Figure Out Why Dash Attack Went South in Southwest
Dash Attack came into last Saturday’s Southwest Stakes as one of the Kentucky Derby prospects to watch. He came in as the unbeaten, 3.40/1 second favorite for the Southwest. He came out of it unscathed physically, according to trainer Kenny McPeek. As for his once-invincible aura? Not so much. Not […]
Yes, Baffert has the Southwest Stakes Favorite, But He’s Got Company
Today’s $750,000 Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park has the usual Bob Baffert flavor: 2/1 morning-line favorite Newgrange, shipping in from California in search of Baffert’s record-tying fifth Southwest title. But there’s a new contender awaiting: Kenny McPeek, who finds himself in the unfamiliar role of trainer of Kentucky […]
Both the Field, Smile Happy, Keep Their Favorite Status in KDFW Pool 2
Just like it did in November’s Pool 1, the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 finished with All Other 3-Year-Olds as the favorite, and Smile Happy closing as the individual favorite. While Smile Happy closed at the same 8/1 odds he finished at in Pool 1, All Other 3-Year-Olds wound […]
All Other 3-Year-Olds Claim Favorite Status on KDFW Pool 2
The second of five pools for the Kentucky Derby Futures Wager (KDFW) opens Friday at noon ET with All Other 3-Year-Olds (aka the field), carrying 7/5 favorite odds. Meanwhile, the individual Pool 2 favorite comes from a trainer not usually seen with Derby favorites. That would be Kenny McPeek, whose […]
Smarty Jones Winner Dash Attack Gives McPeek a Pleasant Problem
Kenny McPeek has what you call a Kentucky Derby embarrassment of riches coming courtesy of Dash Attack, who won Saturday’s Listed Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. And the dynamic trainer is still trying to put the talented pieces together. That’s because, on Saturday, McPeek added another piece to an […]
Derby Trail Traffic Resumes Saturday With Kentucky Jockey Club
Traffic on the Kentucky Derby trail picks up again Saturday with a full cast of 14 entered in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club, the headlining race on Churchill Downs’ Saturday card. Up for grabs are 10-4-2-1 Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers, along with another Derby prospect […]
Letruska Looms Large and in Charge Over Her Spinster Stakes Rivals
When it comes to running against Letruska, Kenny McPeek – who sends Envoutante against the standout mare in Sunday’s Grade 1 Spinster — summed up the frustration he and his fellow trainers face. “That’s the thing,†McPeek told the Daily Racing Form. “If you try to run with her early, […]
Rattle N Roll Shakes Up Derby Prospect List With Breeders’ Futurity Win
Rattle N Roll entered the Kentucky Derby prospect picture, Saturday, doing so with a 4 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity on a busy opening weekend at Keeneland. Not only does this put Rattle N Roll into next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, courtesy of the Breeders’ Futurity’s “Win […]
Deep Alcibiades Goes a Long Way Defining Who is the Top Juvenile Filly
Last year, Kenny McPeek watched Simply Ravishing and Crazy Beautiful turn in stunning performances in the Alcibiades at Keeneland. That he watched his 2-year-old duo go 1-2 in the Grade 1 race while at Pimlico was a minor annoyance. McPeek, like everyone else coping with the pandemic, could handle minor […]
Hard-Running Swiss Skydiver Goes on Shelf Before Going Up for Sale
The likely end of Swiss Skydiver’s stellar career is in sight, with the announcement that the 2020 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly will get time off before being sold this November. Swiss Skydiver will likely run in the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, then head almost immediately to the […]
Letruska Brings Formidable Form Into a Deep Personal Ensign Field
Say this for the 2021 Personal Ensign; Letruska may be the clubhouse leader as Champion Older Filly of the Year, but her rivals for that title don’t scare easily. That explains why the Grade 1 Personal Ensign – one of Saratoga’s six Grade 1s on Saturday — features a deep, […]
M & M Girls Malathaat and Maracuja Take Center Stage in the Alabama
There are would-be party crashers to Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. There’s Crazy Beautiful. There’s Clairiere. Solid 3-year-olds with solid, proven resumes. However, the two “C†fillies find themselves relegated to that party-crasher role. That’s courtesy of the two “M†fillies – Malathaat and Maracuja – who hold […]
The Whitney: Quality Over Quantity Makes This the Year’s Best Race
The cliché “quality over quantity†washes over this year’s Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga like the wake from Knicks Go’s last race. It floods the zone like Maxfield’s last two outings and Silver State’s last trip around Belmont Park. If you’re going to send only five horses around Saratoga’s […]
McPeek Files Request for Hearing After Several Entries Denied
Even with the quarantine for Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) lifted on Monday, trainer Kenny McPeek filed a hearing request with the New York State Gaming Commission after several of his horses were denied entry into early-week races at Saratoga. BloodHorse reported that attorney Andrew Mollica filed the request on McPeek’s behalf […]
McPeek Sending Swiss Skydiver Against Colts Again in the Whitney
One of the ways Kenny McPeek made his bones as a trainer was to never doubt himself or his charges. This explains one reason why he plans on running star filly Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. “Someone brought up the word ‘can’t’ to me the […]
Saratoga EHV-1 Quarantine Set to End Aug. 1 — If No Further Cases
Horses quarantined as a result of an Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) case in Saratoga’s Barn 86 will be allowed to race Aug. 1, provided there are no further positive cases. The New York Racing Association made the announcement on Tuesday, citing the end of a 21-day quarantine in that barn. This […]
Simply Ravishing Back in Training After Failed Breeding Attempt
Standout filly Simply Ravishing returned to training late last month, ending her quick retirement after she failed to get into foal to Into Mischief this spring. Trainer Kenny McPeek announced via Twitter that the Grade 1-winning filly will return to racing in the Aug. 4 Statue of Liberty Division at […]
Ohio Derby Brings Back Some Familiar Names, Along With A Newcomer
Unlike last year, there are no Kentucky Derby qualifying points available in this year’s Grade 3 Ohio Derby. No mulling over potential Derby dark horses coming out of what is usually a C-level field of 3-year-olds anyway. No. Instead, we have one Derby and Preakness alum, one would-be Derby alum, […]