Tag: Ken McPeek

Bombs Away in the Bourbon

Tiz the Bomb broke through the gate before the start and had to overcome a wide post, but those obstacles proved no matter as the improving colt picked up his second straight stakes win in Sunday's GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. at Keeneland, punching his ticket for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Easily the most expensive progeny of his sire to sell in 2020 when hammering for $330,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Sale, the bay only beat one horse home debuting over five furlongs on the Churchill dirt May 14, but improved drastically stretching out to a mile in an Ellis off-the-turfer July 2, cruising to a 14 1/4-length graduation. Stepping up in his first start on turf and initial try against winners to annex the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 6, Tiz the Bomb was made a fractional favorite in this full 14-horse field despite breaking through his stall and running off for about a furlong before being corralled and reloaded.

Finding a good spot racing in the clear in fourth behind fractions of :22.94 and :47.54, he got shuffled back a bit midway around the far turn and appeared to be spinning his wheels in sixth as the field straightened for home. Starting to find his best stride passing the three-sixteenths marker, Tiz the Bomb drew alongside a trio of battling leaders a furlong out, forged to the front soon after and inched clear to prevail. Stolen Base rallied late to get into second.

“It's not a good omen, typically, and yeah, it makes a trainer nervous when it happens, but [jockey] Brian [Hernandez] did a great job wrangling him up and keeping him under control,” winning trainer Ken McPeek said of Tiz a Bomb breaking through the gate. “It's worse if he comes off or something like that. This horse has got a lot of talent and we're fortunate to have a guy like Brian who handles things on the oval. He does a great job.”

“We were ready, we were set up, and as the last horse was walking in, I turned his head to set him to where we could leave the gate in good order,” related Hernandez. “He got a little anxious and just charged forward one step and the gate popped open. Most of the time when that happens, horses have a hard time recovering from it, but when we finally reloaded and he left the gate in good order the second time, we were able to get around the first turn in good order. I was really confident in him, and he took care of it from there.”

The win capped a big weekend at Keeneland for McPeek, whose Rattle N Roll (Connect) ran away to an impressive success in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. McPeek, however, said that Rattle N Roll may pass on the Breeders' Cup while indicating that Tiz the Bomb will be on a plane to Del Mar.

“I think for this horse definitely the Breeders' Cup Juvenile [Turf] is ideal,” he commented. “Everything happens for a reason. You could have made the case that Tiz the Bomb could have run yesterday for sure, and Rattle N Roll–of course, they're apples and oranges. It's a high-level problem we've got right now. We're just going to enjoy this, relish the moment and make those decisions as we get closer.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of seven stakes winners for Spendthrift Farm's Hit It a Bomb, Tiz the Bomb becomes his fifth graded stakes winner with the victory. He's the second foal to race out of his dam, who was fourth at 22-1 in the 2014 GI American Oaks. A $330,000 Keeneland September buy by Spendthrift, she has a yearling Free Drop Billy filly and foaled a colt by Mor Spirit this season before being bred to Gormley.

Sunday, Keeneland
CASTLE & KEY BOURBON S.-GII, $200,000, Keeneland, 10-10, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.69, gd.
1–TIZ THE BOMB, 120, c, 2, by Hit It a Bomb
   1st Dam: Tiz the Key, by Tiznow
   2nd Dam: Cabbage Key, by A.P. Indy
   3rd Dam: Mayville's Magic, by Gone West
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $447,841. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stolen Base, 118, c, 2, Bodemeister–Running Wild, by
Indian Charlie. ($45,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Three
Diamonds Farm & Deuce Greathouse; B-Peter E. Blum
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Michael J. Maker. $40,000.
3–Credibility, 118, c, 2, Nyquist–Class Edge, by Indygo Shiner.
($32,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $15,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Harry
Rosenblum; B-DJ Stable, LLC (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$20,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.90, 7.90, 45.00.
Also Ran: Red Danger, Dowagiac Chief, Rocket One, Play Action Pass, Lucky Boss, On Thin Ice, Brit's Wit, Martini'nmoonshine, Heaven Street, Fast N Steady, Waita Minute Hayes. Scratched: Red Run, Vivar.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Kentucky Downs Stakes Winner Tiz The Bomb Headlines ‘Win And You’re In’ Bourbon

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Tiz the Bomb, winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile in his most recent start, headlines a field of 14 2-year-olds plus two also-eligibles entered Thursday for Sunday's 31st running of the $200,000 Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

The Castle & Key Bourbon is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to be run Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The Castle & Key Bourbon will go as the final race on Sunday's 10-race program with a 5:46 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by two-time race winner Kenny McPeek, Tiz the Bomb notched his first victory in his second start, a 14¼-length blowout going a mile on the dirt at Ellis Park. Brian Hernandez Jr. has the mount Sunday and will exit post position 12.

Another Kentucky Downs winner who figures to attract attention is Silverton Hill's Red Danger.

Trained by Brian Lynch, Red Danger has won two of three starts with his most recent score coming in the Global Tote Juvenile Sprint (L) going 6½ furlongs on Sept. 9. Luis Saez, who has been aboard for all three of Red Danger's starts, has the call Sunday and will exit post position 10.

The field for the Castle & Key Bourbon, with riders and weights from the inside, is:

  1. Brit's Wit (David Flores, 118 pounds)
  2. Stolen Base (Flavien Prat, 118)
  3. Dowagiac Chief (James Graham, 118)
  4. Martini'nmoonshine (Tyler Gaffalione, 118)
  5. Rocket One (Julien Leparoux, 118)
  6. Credibility (Edwin Gonzalez, 118)
  7. Fast N Steady (Leonel Reyes, 118)
  8. Waita Minute Hayes (Mitchell Murrill, 118)
  9. On Thin Ice (Corey Lanerie, 118)
  10. Red Danger (Saez, 118)
  11. Heaven Street (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118)
  12. Tiz the Bomb (Hernandez Jr., 120)
  13. Lucky Boss (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118)
  14. Play Action Pass (Edgard Zayas, 118).

Also-Eligibles: Vivar (Florent Geroux, 118), Red Run (Santana Jr., 118).

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Army Mule Filly on Top in Book 5 Opener

With Wednesday's Keeneland September Book 5 opener winding down, Maddie Matt Miller, agent, went to a session-topping $250,000 to secure a filly from the first crop of Army Mule.

Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent, as Hip 3158, the chestnut is out of six-time winner Henny's Hurricane (Henny Hughes), a daughter of GSW Amarillo (Crafty Prospector). Hip 3158 is a half-sister to Amynta (Atreides), a multiple stakes winner in Panama. She was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings.

The Hill 'n' Dale stallion, standing for $7,500, has also been represented by a $390,000 colt, a $225,000 colt, a $180,000 colt, et al, at Keeneland September. Army Mule has had 15 yearlings sell for $1.766 million at KEESEP, good for an average of $117,733. He had a pair of $400,000 sellers at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga as well.

A total of 325 yearlings sold at Keeneland Wednesday for $12,929,500, good for an average of $39,783 (+55%) and a median of $30,000 (+100%). The RNA rate for the session was a remarkable 9.2%.

During the 2020 Book 5 opener, conducted during the pre-vaccine pandemic, 252 yearlings grossed $6,469,100 for an average of $25,671 and a median of $15,000. The RNA rate was 18.2%.

With two sessions remaining, Keeneland has sold a total of 2,125 horses through the ring for $339,691,500, for an average of $159,855 (+25%) and a median of $90,000 (+45.2%).

John Oxley led all buyers at Wednesday's session, purchasing five yearlings for $382,000. Leading consignor Taylor Made Sales Agency sold 29 horses for $1,279,000.

Glatt Strikes for Arrogate Colt

Southern California-based trainer Mark Glatt, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, brought home a son of the late Arrogate for $230,000–the top price paid for a colt–during Wednesday's Book 5 opener at Keeneland September.

The richest North American racehorse in history was humanely euthanized last June at Juddmonte Farms after suffering from an undetermined illness. He currently has two winners from his first crop. Arrogate was also represented by colts that brought $550,000, $500,000, $360,000, etc, earlier in the sale.

Consigned by Woods Edge Farm (Peter O'Callaghan), agent, Hip 3004 is the first foal out of Wicked Lick (Maclean's Music), runner-up in the 2017 GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks. Barry and Judith Becker purchased Wicked Lick, carrying Hip 3004, for $350,000 at the 2019 KEENOV sale. She subsequently brought $450,000 from Aaron and Marie Jones, in foal to Into Mischief, at the 2021 KEEJAN sale.

“He was a very nice, athletic-looking horse with a lot of size and scope,” Glatt said. “He's bred to have some speed on the bottom side being out of a Maclean's Music mare. He's a very nice individual. Arrogate was a very outstanding horse. He had a good weekend a couple of weeks ago–maybe a little bit later, developing kind of horses. If he hits, it could be a very good thing since there's not going to be very many of them out there.”

Glatt also signed for an $85,000 Runhappy filly (Hip 3015) from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment Wednesday.

“The business seems to be very healthy,” Glatt said. “The numbers don't lie. It makes buying these horses a little tough– you obviously want to buy them for as cheap as you can. But it shows the business is healthy right now and that certainly isn't a bad thing.”

McPeek Continues to Reload

Trainer Ken McPeek continued his Keeneland September shopping spree, purchasing five yearlings, as agent, for a total of $317,000 during Wednesday's session, the second-highest amount spent on the day.

His purchases included:

Throughout the first nine days of trade, McPeek has signed for 23 head for a gross of $2.467 million ($107,261 average), led by a $250,000 Practical Joke filly (Hip 1946).

“We've been cherry picking some horses out of there the last several days and it seems like we're averaging five or six a day– it's been good,” McPeek said. “It's been a lot of work, I'm glad the market has softened from the early books. I've got a lot of really good clients that have given us a budget to work with and we've been fortunate enough to acquire what we wanted.

Of his Wednesday purchases, McPeek said, “I was real pleased with the Mendelssohn colt that we bought. The Shaman Ghost was a beautiful filly. The Tamarkuz was a filly that looked quite fast. Overall, it was good.”

No stranger to finding value at KEESEP, McPeek's honor roll is led by Hall of Famer and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike, $57,000 in 2005); and last year's champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil, $35,000).

“I bought my first Derby horse Tejano Run out of Book 7 [for $20,000],” McPeek concluded. “We don't assume anything.”

 

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Churchill: King Fury Features In Bourbon Trail, Irish Unity Tops Harrods Creek

Three Chimneys Farm's 2021 Lexington Stakes (Grade 3) winner King Fury headlines a field of seven 3-year-olds that were entered in Saturday's inaugural running of the $275,000 Bourbon Trail Stakes at Churchill Downs.

The Bourbon Trail, run at 1 3/16 miles, will go as Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. First post is 12:45 p.m. The Saturday program also features the $275,000 Dogwood (Listed) and $275,000 Harrods Creek.

King Fury has run against some of the nation's top 3-year-old colts this year, including his most-recent fifth-place effort behind top Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) rated horse Essential Quality in the $1.25 million Travers (G1). Trained by Kenny McPeek, the son of Curlin broke his maiden at Churchill Downs on debut and scored a half-length victory in the $98,000 Street Sense last fall.

King Fury's 3-year-old campaign includes a 2 ¾-length victory in the $200,000 Lexington (G3) and a runner-up finish to Masqueparade in the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3). King Fury will be reunited with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. for Saturday's race, who has been aboard the chestnut colt for all three of his victories. The duo will break from post No. 4.

Also entered in the Bourbon Trail is Rupp Racing's stakes winner Gagetown. Trained by Brad Cox, Gagetown most recently finished third in the $250,000 St. Louis Derby and $250,000 Iowa Derby. The son of Exaggerator won the $50,000 Prairie Mile in June. Martin Garcia will ride from the rail.

The complete field for the Bourbon Trail from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Gagetown (Garcia, Cox)
  2. King's Ovation (Joe Talamo, Dale Romans)
  3. Dr Jack (Tyler Gaffalione, Todd Pletcher)
  4. King Fury (Hernandez, McPeek)
  5. Angkor (Adam Beschizza, Phil Bauer)
  6. Bourbon Thunder (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes)
  7. Sermononthemount (James Graham, Tom Amoss)

Clearview Stable's recent $250,000 St. Louis Derby runner-up Irish Unity tops a competitive field of 10 3-year-old colts and geldings that was entered in Saturday's first-running of the $275,000 Harrods Creek at Churchill Downs.

The seven-furlong Harrods Creek will go as Race 10 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. First post for the 11-race program is 12:45 p.m. Along with the Harrods Creek, the Saturday card will feature the $275,000 Dogwood (Listed) and the $275,000 Bourbon Trail.

Irish Unity, conditioned by North American and Churchill Downs' all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen, has not finished worse than second in four career starts. The consistent son of Pioneerof the Nile won his first two starts in June at Lone Star prior to shipping to Asmussen's Kentucky string. The homebred finished second to Beaver Hat in a conditioned allowance event at Ellis Park before his runner-up effort to Flash of Mischief in last month's St. Louis Derby. Brian Hernandez Jr. will have the return mount from post No. 7.

Also entered in the Harrods Creek is Wayne Davis' four-time Louisiana-based gelding Emerald Forest. Trained by Shane Wilson, Emerald Forest dominated his two most recent starts by a combined 18 lengths at Evangeline Downs and Louisiana Downs. In those starts, Emerald Forest earned stout Brisnet.com speed ratings of 100 and 105, respectively. Jose Guerrero, who's based at Louisiana Downs, will travel to Kentucky for the mount and will break from post 5.

The complete field for the Harrods Creek from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Dreamer's Disease (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro)
  2. Ram (Rafael Bejarano, D. Wayne Lukas)
  3. Bob's Edge (Adam Beschizza, Larry Jones)
  4. He'smyhoneybadger (Martin Garcia, Brad Cox)
  5. Emerald Forest (Guerrero, Wilson)
  6. Shadow Matter (Corey Lanerie, Dallas Stewart)
  7. Irish Unity (Hernandez, Asmussen)
  8. Wolfie's Dynaghost (Tyler Gaffalione, Tom Albertrani)
  9. Flags Up (James Graham, Jimmy Baker)
  10. Everett's Song (Pablo Morales, Dale Bennett)

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