Tag: Ken McPeek

Keeneland Opens With a Trio of Breeders’ Cup Qualifiers

Keeneland opens its highly anticipated fall meet Friday with a trio of graded stakes that each provide the winners with a spot in the gate for the Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held in Lexington the first weekend of November.

The highlight of the day will be the GI Darley Alcibiades S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Ken McPeek and Brad Cox have taken turns the last few years, each winning two of the last four, and McPeek has the morning-line favorite in last-out GIII Pocahontas S. winner Fun and Feisty (Midshipman).

McPeek also saddles longshot Stellar Lady (Shackleford), who broke her maiden on grass last out at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8. The aforementioned Cox also saddles a grass filly in unbeaten Chop Chop (City of Light), who enters off a win in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S. Sept. 3.

DJ Stable's Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) will likely challenge Fun and Feisty for favoritism. Opening her account with a pair of wins including a dominant score in Churchill's Debutante S. in July, the dark bay checked in second in Saratoga's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 4.

Chad Brown sends out one worth a look at a price in Alpha Delta Stables homebred Raging Sea (Curlin). She rallied to victory in her debut going seven panels at Saratoga Aug. 7. Both her running style and her pedigree suggest she will only improve with more distance.

Juvenile grass fillies get their chance to secure a spot in the Breeders' Cup starting gate one race earlier in the GII J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine S. Chop Chop would have been favored in this event, but now that will likely go to Towhead (Malibu Moon), who came up a nose short of that foe in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S.

Jonathan Thomas saddles a live on in Augustin Stable's Delight (Mendelssohn). The $400,000 OBSMAR buy earned her diploma at Delaware last out Aug. 27 after a pair of thirds in her first two tries.

G. Watts Humphrey's Bling (American Pharoah) took a huge step forward when switched from dirt to turf in her second start at Ellis Aug. 20, earning her diploma by 3 3/4 lengths.

Also worth a look at what is sure to be a juicy price for bettors is NY-bred Recognize (Bolt d'Oro). Her freshman sire now has two graded winners on turf and her Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott is known for his patience and ability to get horses to peak at the right time. The bay graduated by 5 1/4 lengths at third asking against fellow Empire-breds at Saratoga in Aug. 18 and checked in third after setting the pace in that venue's P.G. Johnson S. Sept. 1.

Rounding out Friday's Breeders' Cup qualifiers is the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. for male sprinters. With champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and Cody's Wish (Curlin), who defeated the divisional leader in the GI Forego S., waiting for the first weekend in November, this event lacks star power. However, the horse who may be improving at just the right time is Sibelius (Not This Time), who enters off a pair of strong victories and triple-digit Beyers, including the Lite the Fuse S. at Pimlico Sept. 10, for which he warned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Special Reserve (Midshipman) captured this event last year, but could only manage fourth in the Breeders' Cup. Off the board in his seasonal debut in the DeFrancis Memorial Dash July 16, he wired the Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial S. in the slop at Mountaineer last out Aug. 6.

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Derby and Oaks Day, Oklahoma Style

Sunday's GIII Oklahoma Derby and GIII Remington Park Oaks give the sophomore set a late-season option at age-restricted competition, with some marquee names making the trek across to Oklahoma City.

Brad Cox has sent out the winners of the last three runnings of the centerpiece of the local racing calendar–Owendale (Into Mischief, 2019); Shared Sense (Street Sense, 2020); and Warrant (Constitution, 2021) and can break the tie with Donnie K. Von Hemel should Gary and Mary West's Best Actor (Flatter) validate his morning-line favoritism. The $330,000 Keeneland September purchase has tasted defeat just once in his four-race career when narrowly runner-up in the GIII Indiana Derby July 9, but he bounced back in no uncertain terms with a 5 3/4-length romp in the GIII Smarty Jones S. at Parx Aug. 23. He swerves that track's million-dollar race and its heavy hitters for the clearly softer competition here. Florent Geroux, in the irons for Owendale's tough win four years ago, takes the call on Best Actor.

Rattle N Roll (Connect) won last year's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and looks for a third Derby this year to go along with the July 2 American Derby at Churchill and the St. Louis Derby at FanDuel Racing Aug. 20. Sandwiched between those is a seventh in the Indiana Derby, a race that is best forgiven after he was hampered badly and clipped heels at the start, then trailed most of the way.

Barring something unforeseen, Juju's Map (Liam's Map) should be able to add her name to the list of Remington Park Oaks winners. Last year's GI Darley Alcibiades S. victress returned with a smashing Oaks day allowance tally May 6, but has since disappointed at odds-on when third in the GII Mother Goose S. and GIII Monmouth Oaks.

Sunday's other graded action includes the GII Gallant Bloom S., featuring 'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings), at Aqueduct and the GIII Vigil S. at Woodbine.

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Klimt Filly Caps Big Day for McPeek in Iowa Oaks

Well-supported at 39-10, Butterbean (Klimt) completed a most productive Saturday for the Ken McPeek barn, accelerating sharply three furlongs out before cruising home to a handy success in Saturday's GIII Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.

A convincing 5 3/4-length winner of the local Oaks prep in the June 11 Panthers S. over a mile, the chestnut was dragged back to last and dropped down onto the fence to caboose the field through an opening couple of furlongs in a solid :23.50. Content to bide her time in the rear, Butterbean had one beaten entering the turn, but made eyecatching progress inside at the three-eighths pole. Tipped out under a full head of steam by Glenn Corbett, Butterbean raced up to odds-on Falconet (Uncle Mo) with a bit more than a furlong to travel and scampered clear to score impressively. Free Like a Girl (El Deal) made the running inside of Falconet and held gamely for third.

McPeek was also represented by GI Belmont Derby upsetter Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) and Runaway Wife (Gun Runner) and Silverleaf (Speightster), second and third, respectively, in the GIII Indiana Oaks.

Runner-up in auction-price-restricted maiden allowances at Churchill in October and November last year, Butterbean completed the exacta in an 'open' Gulfstream maiden Jan. 22, but was only sixth in a similar test at Keeneland Apr. 10. A neck second when in search of a confidence boost against $75,000 maiden claimers beneath the Twin Spires May 4, the $22,000 Keeneland September bargain graduated 23 days later and made it two straight when last seen in the Panthers.

Pedigree Notes:

The first graded winner for the expatriated Klimt, Butterbean is out of an unplaced half-sister to GSW Conquest Daddyo (Scat Daddy) and SW Hangingbyathread (Giant's Causeway). Her 2-year-old half-brother Fast Forward (Bolt d'Oro) is unplaced in a single start in Churchill maiden special weight company this past May and Letting Go produced a full-sister to Butterbean last season.

 

 

 

Saturday, Prairie Meadows
IOWA OAKS-GIII, $225,000, Prairie Meadows, 7-9, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.72, ft.
1–BUTTERBEAN, 122, f, 3, by Klimt
                1st Dam: Letting Go, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Hangingbyamoment, by Thunder Gulch
                3rd Dam: Kermis, by Graustark
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($22,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Magdalena Racing & William Klimashousky; B-Woodgate
Farm (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Glenn W. Corbett.
$134,400. Lifetime Record: 8-3-4-0, $294,510. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Falconet, 122, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Birdatthewire, by Summer
Bird. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($250,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-CHC Inc. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $44,800.
3–Free Like a Girl, 122, f, 3, El Deal–Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($5,500 Ylg '20 ESLYRL). O-Gerald
Bruno, Jr., Carl J. Deville, Chasey Deville Pomier and Jerry
Caroom; B-Kim Renee Stover & Lisa Osborne (LA); T-Chasey
Deville Pomier. $22,400.
Margins: 3, 5, 1. Odds: 3.90, 0.70, 9.90.
Also Ran: Candy Raid, My Friend Amy, Hartley, Miss Hard Knocks, Nosilverspoonshere.
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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A Classic Upset: Classic Causeway Wires Belmont Derby at 25-1

A season that has had more ups and downs than the Cyclone at nearby Coney Island reached new heights for Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), as the blaze-faced chestnut–making his first start on the grass–forgot to stop en route to a 3/4-length defeat of Godolphin's favored Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in Saturday's $1-million GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational on Long Island. Peter Brant's Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), heretofore never worse than midfield in the early stages of any of his previous eight trips to the races, made steady progress to finish third after racing far back through the opening furlongs.

Classic Causeway was having his second start Saturday for trainer Ken McPeek, who saddled him to a third in the GIII Ohio Derby June 25, and who not afraid to think a bit outside the box.

“He came back good and was eating the bottom out of the feedbag,” said co-owner Patrick McKeefe of Kentucky West Racing. “What Kenny says, I do.”

The early scratching of wire-to-wire GII Pennine Ridge S. winner Emmanuel (More Than Ready) left the pace scenario of the Belmont Derby somewhat murky, and that played right into the hands of Classic Causeway. Employing the same front-running tactics that won him the GIII Sam F. Davis S. and GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby along the Triple Crown trail over the winter, the homebred colt jumped right into the bridle for Julien Leparoux, and while he had a bit of early company in the form of G2 Dante S. runner-up Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Classic Causeway was going along easily enough and was past the six-furlong peg in a manageable :48.02.

Allowed to lob them along and in a good rhythm through three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.33, he remained well within his comfort zone and maintained a safe advantage over Royal Patronage as they reached the quarter pole. Asked for a sprint by the Frenchman, Classic Causeway carried a two-length bulge into the ultimate eighth of a mile, and try as they might, the chasers ran out of real estate. Nations Pride, who defeated future G1 Cazoo Derby runner-up and £1.2-million Goffs London Sale topper Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) by seven lengths in the Listed Newmarket S. Apr. 29, closed his final quarter-mile in a race-strongest :22.98 to just beat G3 Leopardstown Derby Trial romper Stone Age out of second.

“The plan was to go on the lead,” confirmed Leparoux. “The only time I was a little worried was in the first turn when Joel [Rosario, aboard Royal Patronage] was kind of head-to-head with me. When he took back, my horse got to cruising and happy to be on the lead. I was getting him to relax nicely and switch off. It was a good run for him.

“He was actually feeling pretty fresh today,” he added. “It was Kenny's idea to wheel him right back on the grass, and it paid off today for sure.”

Early Saturday afternoon, the New York State Gaming Commission issued a brief statement on the scratching of Emmanuel, saying without elaborating further: “The Commission Steward ordered the scratch of Emmanuel, scheduled to run in today's Belmont Derby, due to issues relating to veterinary records. The matter remains under review.”

Looking every bit a Classic contender off his two wins at Tampa, Classic Causeway was last of 11 as a 37-10 chance in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 2, casting a fair bit of doubt on his immediate future. After first expressing their intention to pass the GI Kentucky Derby, connections called an audible, and Classic Causeway did not disgrace, finishing 11th, albeit from off the pace. Sensibly spotted in the Ohio Derby after being transferred from Brian Lynch to McPeek, Classic Causeway was a clear third, beaten just over two lengths by Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile).

Pedigree Notes:

Classic Causeway is one of three foals–all colts–from the final crop of the 'Iron Horse' Giant's Causeway and is the late sire's 36th Grade I/Group 1 winner. His other two offspring born in 2019 are Giant Game, third in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and Shadwell homebred Monaadah, a winner of three of his five career starts and fourth in the Listed Sir Henry S. for Saeed bin Suroor at Newmarket July 7.

Private World is the dam of a 2-year-old filly by Lookin At Lucky, a yearling colt by Justify and a filly by the Triple Crown winner foaled May 15.

Saturday, Belmont Park
CAESARS BELMONT DERBY INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $1,000,000, Belmont, 7-9, 3yo, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.99, fm.
1–CLASSIC CAUSEWAY, 122, c, 3, by Giant's Causeway
                1st Dam: Private World (MSW, $166,058), by Thunder Gulch
                2nd Dam: Rita Rucker, by Dmitri
                3rd Dam: Darlease, by Temperence Hill
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M. Cooper Family Living Trust (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Julien Leparoux. $535,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-2, $1,106,100.Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nations Pride (Ire), 122, c, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Important Time (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby. $185,000.
3–Stone Age (Ire), 122, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Bonanza Creek (Ire), by Anabaa. O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Westerberg Smith, Peter Brant; B-White Birch Farm Sc (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $100,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, NK. Odds: 26.75, 2.40, 2.90.
Also Ran: Grand Sonata, Royal Patronage (Fr), Sy Dog, Limited Liability, Machete (Fr), Tiz the Bomb, Implementation, Napoleonic War, Stolen Base. Scratched: Emmanuel.
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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