Kenny McPeek | Horse Racing Free Tips

Belmont Turf Takes Center Stage Saturday

by Stefanie Grimm & Patrycja Szpyra

With the Fourth of July holiday weekend in the rear-view mirror, the summer turf season kicks into high gear starting with a pair of Grade I's at Belmont Park Saturday. The home team takes on a new wave of European challengers in the 1 1/4-mile GI Caesars Belmont Derby Invitational S., the first leg of the Caesars Turf Triple Series.

Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb), last seen finishing ninth behind longshot GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice), finally gets back to the surface that he's shown plenty of success on previously. Tiz the Bomb scored back-to-back victories on the grass in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. Sept. 6 and Keeneland's GII Castle & Key Bourbon S. Oct. 10. He ended his 2-year-old campaign with just a half-length defeat to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5, his most recent try on grass.

After an unsuccessful 3-year-old debut in the GIII Holy Bull S., Tiz the Bomb returned to form with two wins on the all-weather surface at Turfway Park, taking both the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 5 and GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. Apr. 2. He defeated eventual Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) in the latter.

“We gave him a Kentucky Derby chance,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “He ran respectable, but he's certainly not as good on the dirt as he is on the grass.”

McPeek will also saddle Kentucky Derby 11th Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), who will be making his first start on the turf. The GIII Sam F. Davis S. and the GII Tampa Bay Derby winner, previously trained by Brian Lynch, was third in Thistledown's GIII Ohio Derby June 25.

Topping the European contenders is Godolphin homebred Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who, barring his poor effort most recently in the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom June 4, previously won four straight, including a seven-length win in the Newmarket S. Apr. 29 over the same 1 1/4-mile distance he'll try Saturday.

Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), drawn wide in post 13, also exits a disappointing showing like his aforementioned rival in the Cazoo Derby. Prior to that, he showed good form in taking the G3 Derby Trial S. at Leopardstown May 8 and also when finishing second in the 2021 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Also on tap over Belmont's turf course Saturday is the 1 1/4- mile GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S., which features a similar combination of American and European-bred contenders. Chad Brown brings a trio of options starting with 'TDN Rising Star' Haughty (Empire Maker), who ended her juvenile season with only a three-quarter length defeat to Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}) enters for Brown off a second- place finish in the 1 1/8-mile GIII Regret S. at Churchill Downs June 4. She was also second behind fellow Oaks rival New Year's Eve (Kitten's Joy) in the GII Edgewood S. May 6.

Rounding out Brown's entries is Consumer Spending (More Than Ready), who enters having won four of her last five starts. While no match for Pizza Bianca in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, she began her 3-year-old season with back-to-back wins. She turned the tables on Pizza Bianca in Aqueduct's Memories of Silver S. Apr. 24, then added the GII Wonder Again S. at Belmont June 9.

Hailing from the barn of Aidan O'Brien, Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is listed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite. The 2021 G3 Weld Park S. winner was stretched out in distance as a 3-year-old. Her form this season includes a third-place finish in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas May 22, a fourth-place finish in the G1 Cazoo Oaks June 3, and a fifth-place finish in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at Curragh June 26.

Five Line Up for Suburban

The Belmont dirt will showcase older horses going 1 1/4 miles in the GII Suburban S. Shug McGaughey brings in 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin), who enters off a career-best performance in the GIII Pimlico Special S. May 20. Dynamic One (Union Rags) is listed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the field of five. After getting seven months off following his seventh-place effort in the GI Travers S. Aug. 28, he returned as a 4-year-old with increasingly positive results. He checked in third off the layoff in the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa Mar. 12, was second in the GIII Ben Ali S. Apr. 23, and most recently won the Blame S. June 4 at Churchill. The field also includes defending Suburban champion Max Player (Honor Code).

The Belmont card also includes the GIII Victory Ride S. for 3-year-old fillies. Marylou Whitney Stables's Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) was second in her last two, completing the exacta behind Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GII Eight Belles S. May 6 and Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) in the Leslie's Lady Overnight S. June 12. The field also includes Happy Soul (Runhappy), second last time in Pimlico's GIII Miss Preakness S. May 20.

Smaller Circuit Graded Stakes Attract Big Names

Horseshoe Indianapolis–formerly Indiana Grand–may've changed its name, but the industry's heavy hitters came with their runners just the same for the GIII Indiana Derby and GIII Indiana Oaks, scheduled to go as the last two races on the card.

In the nightcap contest for the colts, 75-1 longshot GII Rebel S. conqueror Un Ojo (Laoban) returns off a three-month layoff in his first attempt for trainer Robertino Diodoro. Conditioner Kenny McPeek's GISW Rattle N Roll (Connect) is cross-entered here and in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows after ending his five-race losing streak last weekend in the July 2 American Derby at Churchill Downs. Texas Derby winner King Ottoman (Curlin), trained by Steve Asmussen, and the Brad Cox-trained Best Actor (Flatter)–a $330,000 KEESEP purchase for Gary and Mary West–round a talented, if lightly raced, field.

The Indiana Oaks is shaping up to be a battle of the trainers as McPeek and Cox send out a pair each. Juddmonte homebred Patna (Into Mischief) and GI Ashland S. third Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) will fly the flag of the latter. Nine-length maiden winner Silverleaf (Speightster) and the rapidly improving Runaway Wife (Gun Runner) will look to cap a potentially big day for McPeek.

Shifting to Prairie Meadows for the evening, the GIII Prairie Meadows Cornhusker H. attracted the evergreen gelding Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy), looking to rebound from a pair of disappointing efforts, including in Lone Star's May 30 GIII Steve Sexton Mile S. That race was won by the horse to his inside, the re-opposing Silver Prospector (Declaration of War). Warrant (Constitution), second last out in the GII Brooklyn H. June 11 and second Mar. 5 in the GI Santa Anita H., aims to secure his first win of the season.

A field of eight fillies will do battle for the GIII Iowa Oaks crown, led by the Todd Pletcher-trained Falconet (Uncle Mo) and local Panther S. victress Butterbean (Klimt). Candy Raid (Candy Ride {Arg}), a surprise winner of the Apr. 2 Bourbonette Oaks, is cross-entered in the Indiana Oaks.

Marathon Runners Chime In From Delaware

A big weekend of racing will also be rolling at Delaware Park as a field of 10 lines up to contest the grassy GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial S., featuring over half of the Keertana S. field, including first and second-place finishers Temple City Terror (Temple City) and Stand Tall (Uncle Mo).

The main track filly and mare marathoners will also have their day in the (most likely not present) Delaware sun in the GII Delaware Handicap, with the streaking Serena's Song S. and Obeah S. heroine Miss Leslie (Paynter) leading the charge.

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Creative Minister Works for Belmont

Creative Minister (Creative Cause), coming off a third-place effort in the GI Preakness S., tuned up for the June 11 GI Belmont S. with a four-furlong work in :48.33 (2/5) at Belmont Park Tuesday.

NYRA clockers caught Creative Minister marking off a quarter-mile in :24 over the fast track, rolling through without much urging from jockey Heman Harkie. Rounding the turn and heading for the wire, Harkie remained still aboard the grey colt who continued a steady rhythm down the stretch to complete the work in :48.33, galloping out five-eighths in 1:01 flat.

“This horse is all class. It was a nice little maintenance half-mile and wasn't anything complicated,” said trainer Kenny McPeek. “We just wanted to let him stretch his legs a little over the track. I think historically it's a track you've got to get used to. I had luck with Sarava training him up there immediately after the Preakness.”

Sarava won the 2002 Belmont for McPeek as a 70-1 outsider.

Creative Minister followed a maiden win at Keeneland in April with a Churchill allowance score May 7 and made his stakes debut when third behind Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the Preakness.

“It was another big step forward for him,” McPeek said of the Preakness effort. “He showed he fits in with some of the better 3-year-olds in the nation.”

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Early Voting in Good Condition After Preakness Score, Will Skip Belmont

Saturday's GI Preakness S. winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) was back in his stall at Belmont Park by mid-morning Sunday, some 15 hours after scoring a 1 1/4-length victory over favored Epicenter (Not This Time) in Saturday's Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

Trainer Chad Brown traveled from Baltimore to New York overnight and was at Belmont Sunday to oversee what is typically a busy morning of timed workouts for horses in his stable. During a brief break, Brown said that Early Voting, owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, came out of the race in good condition, but will not be pointed toward the June 11 GI Belmont S. He added that he was undecided where and when Early Voting would run next, while still savoring his trainee's big day at Pimlico.

“We are thrilled with the victory,” Brown said. “I'm proud of the horse. Proud of my team. It was a super memorable day, especially being on Seth Klarman's birthday in his hometown. Everything lined up. I'm just so appreciative for the day, the performance.”
Brown and Klarman won the Preakness for the second time in five years by using the same formula: skipping the GI Kentucky Derby with a promising, stakes-tested but lightly-raced colt to focus on the Preakness. In 2017, Cloud Computing (Maclean's Music) gave Brown his first victory in a Triple Crown series race. Like Cloud Computing, Early Voting was given a break after finishing second in the Apr. 9 GII Wood Memorial S.at Aqueduct.

“He's only run four times and he's done everything we asked him to do,” Brown said. “He breaks good from the gate. He makes his own trips. He carries his speed a route of ground. He's a fighter in the stretch. He deserves all the credit here. He's been extremely cooperative to work with. He's super intelligent. You train him to do something, and he does it. I couldn't be more proud of this horse. He deserves a lot of accolades.”

Ron Winchell, the owner of Epicenter, who ran second in both the Derby and Preakness, reported that the colt is unlikely to contest the Belmont.

“I would say that's a stretch at the moment,” he said. “He had six weeks between the Louisiana Derby and the Derby, and that did him well. I think there might have been five weeks between the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby, and that did him well. Just looking at how he came back fresh, that seems to be the recipe at the moment. But at least a Gun Runner won.”

Winchell speculated that Monmouth's GI TVG.com Haskell or Saratoga's GI Travers S. could be the next target, with the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in early November a logical objective.

“We'll turn the page and see where we want to go from there,” he said. “But that's probably the long-term goal.”

Scott Blasi, chief assistant trainer to Asmussen, said Sunday morning that Epicenter came out of the Preakness in good order. He said Epicenter and his stablemates at Pimlico would van back to Churchill Downs on Monday morning.

Creative Minister (Creative Cause), who ran third in the Preakness after being supplemented to the race for $150,000, will be pointed toward the Belmont, trainer Kenny McPeek reported Sunday. McPeek said the colt will likely have a couple of half-mile breezes before the third jewel of the Triple Crown, noting that the gray's breeding could make him a contender in the race.

“He's out of a Tapit mare and Tapits love the Belmont,” McPeek said. “That's the plan.”

Creative Minister will stay at Pimlico for a day or two, McPeek said Sunday, before shipping to New York.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas was en route back home to Kentucky Sunday with Briland Farms' Secret Oath (Arrogate), the Preakness fourth-place finisher. Lukas said the plan was for the filly to get eight weeks off and then target a series of races against her own sex, including the GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 23 and GI Alabama S. Aug. 20, both at Saratoga, as well as the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 24 at Parx Racing. Her ultimate goal is the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland in November.

Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking is under consideration for the Belmont, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said Sunday morning. The son of 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator, who finished fifth in the Preakness, had previously finished third in the Wood Memorial.

“He ran good enough and it might be worth taking a shot at it,” Joseph said. “We won't decide for a week. We'll see how he comes out and see how his energy is and then decide. I think he would get a mile and a half.”

Trainer Antonio Sano reported that Tami Bobo and Tristan De Meric's Simplification (Not Thsi Time) will be turned out in Ocala for rest and relaxation after it was determined that the GII Fountain of Youth S. winner and fourth-place Kentucky Derby finisher had experience exercise-induced pulmonary bleeding during his sixth-place finish in the Preakness.

Other probable starters for the Belmont, according to New York Racing Association notes, include Barber Road (Race Day), Golden Glider (Ghostzapper), Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and We the People (Constitution), while also listed as possible are Ethereal Road (Quality Road), Nest (Curlin) and Western River (Tapit).

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Preakness Full Circle Moments

BALTIMORE, MD–Every year, a new batch of sophomores converges upon Pimlico Race Course. And while the names of the contenders is ever changing, the people behind them are remain fairly consistent. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas casts a very long shadow in the second jewel in the Triple Crown, having won it on six prior occasions. From his first Preakness victory with Codex in 1980, Lukas has gone on to add wins with Tank's Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995), Charismatic (1999) and Oxbow (2013).

One more win would put him on even terms with R. Wydham Walden and Bob Baffert, who each hold the record with seven Preakness titles. Coincidentally, Lukas's chance to tie Baffert with a record seventh win comes in the form of Secret Oath, a daughter of the late Arrogate, who was trained by Baffert. A homebred for Briland Farm, the chestnut is out of MSW and MGISP Absinthe Minded (Quiet American), who was also conditioned by Lukas. A winner of two of four starts at two, Secret Oath aired at Oaklawn in her first two starts at three, including the Feb. 26 GIII Honeybee S. before finishing a troubled-trip third in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 2.

“We didn't get a smooth trip, which we needed in a race of that caliber,” he said. “We also had some questionable decisions being made as the race unfolded. Those two things in combination probably cost her the race. I thought she was clearly the best horse in the race.”

Sent off at 4-1 in a salty renewal of the May 6 GI Kentucky Oaks that included champion juvenile filly Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) and GISW Nest (Curlin), Secret Oath drew off to win by a definitive two-length margin over Nest, with the champion back in fourth.

Lukas continued, “[The Arkansas Derby] didn't work out very well for us, but we had a five-week window [to the Oaks] and that just came together. Now, we're looking at a two-week window.”

“The Oaks was a tell-tale race for us,” said Lukas. “We never considered the Kentucky Derby when we ran against the colts in Arkansas, but we kind of had the Preakness on the radar.”

Following a similar approach to previous Preakness incursions, Lukas's three-horse contingent of Secret Oath and Ethereal Road (Quality Road) (and the barn pony Riff) arrived from the Churchill Downs base of operations following a 12-hour ride on a luxury equine transport.

However, despite the travel and activity since her arrival in Baltimore, the filly appears to have taken everything in stride.

“She's very professional,” affirmed Lukas. “She's gotten into a rhythm here with all the excitement and the media and it can be very disruptive to a horse, but she has handled that very well.”

“I think she's probably as good or maybe even a bit better than she was going into the Kentucky Oaks. I'd like to see her run the same race as she ran in the Oaks. Pick them off down the back side, be in contention at the top of the stretch and run right by them.”

Looking to stand in Lukas's way Saturday is Winchell Thoroughbreds' Epicenter (Not This Time), trained by Steve Asmussen. Adding an unexpected twist to the Triple Crown plot, the 4-1 Derby favorite was stymied by longshot winner Rick Strike (Keen Ice), who drew in off the also-eligible list following the scratch of Lukas's Ethereal Road on the eve of the race. And while the 11th-hour change up made for added drama and good press, it didn't really work out that well for Asmussen.

However, Asmussen proved philosophical about the Lukas scratch that ultimately dashed his Derby aspirations.

“Wayne is a very special person in racing,” said Asmussen, who is a two-time Preakness winner with Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009. “He's beyond iconic. Everything he has accomplished and continues to. It's a lot to go up against. He's inspirational.”

Victorious in last season's Gun Runner S., Epicenter finished runner-up in the Jan. 22 Lecomte S. at the Fair Grounds before bouncing back to score in the Feb. 19 GII Risen Star S. and GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 26.

Despite the last-out defeat, the colt's owner Ron Winchell remains upbeat about the colt's chances in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

“I don't think the confidence level [in him has] changed, he ran a great race [in the Derby],” he said. “If he shows up and runs, we should be in great shape.”

Asked how he'd like to see things unfold Saturday, Winchell explained, “He's a very versatile horse. I anticipate we'll sit off the pace. I didn't think there is a different strategy. That's the nice thing about bringing a type of horse that has options. And he's got options.”

In contrast, when asked where he wants to see his charge in the race, Asmussen quipped, “In front at the wire. We handled everything else last time, how about we just worry about the wire.”

Representing the X-factor in this season's Preakness is Fern Circle Stables, Black Racing and Magdalena Racing's Creative Minister (Creative Cause). The grey, who was supplemented to the race for $150,000, is trained by Kenny McPeek, who earned his sole Preakness victory with a filly, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), in the pandemic-postponed 2020 renewal.

The lightly raced colt was runner-up in his Gulfstream debut going seven panels in March and appeared to appreciate the step up to 1 1/16-miles for his Keeneland graduation Apr. 9. He handled the latest question with aplomb, taking a Churchill optional claimer May 7.

“What is it Wayne Gretzky said? 'You never make a shot you don't take,'” he said. “I've taken a couple of them and hit it, between [2002 Belmont winner] Sarava and Swiss.”

He continued, “Look, that's the fun of the sport. It's great being involved in these kinds of things. If you feel like you've got a legitimate chance to just hit the board, you can't be scared, because a lot happens.”

Also trying to repeat past exploits, trainer Chad Brown tries to add another Preakness title with Klaravich Stables' Early Voting (Gun Runner). The winner of his first two starts at Aqueduct, including an emphatic win in the GIII Withers S., the dark bay was caught late by Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), finishing a neck back in second in the Apr. 9 GII Wood Memorial S.

In addition to Epicenter, Taylor Made Stallions' Not This Time is also represented by GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Simplification. Third in the Apr. 2 GI Florida Derby, the Antonio Sano trainee finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

“In the Florida Derby, he was too close to the pace,” explained Sano. “In the [Kentucky] Derby, I wanted him to relax, but he was too far back.”

John Velazquez takes over riding duties from Jose Ortiz, who sticks with Early Voting.

Calumet Farm's Happy Jack (Oxbow) will try to give his sire the Preakness double. In another connection between competitors, the Calumet stallion won the 2013 edition of the Preakness under the guidance of Lukas. A debut winner at Santa Anita in January, the bay later finished third in GII San Felipe S. and GI Santa Anita Derby before coming home in 14th in the Derby.

“He is fit and he is ready,” said Doug O'Neill, who previously won with I'll Have Another in 2012. “He is an ideal candidate to run back in two weeks. If you have a strong individual, it can be a real easy jump going from the Derby to the Preakness. I think he looks phenomenal. He was bucking and playing and walking the shed row Thursday afternoon and showed good energy on the track [Friday]. He seems like he is the best version of Happy Jack right now.”

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