Kenny McPeek | Horse Racing Free Tips

Remsen Winner Mo Donegal Gets Sophomore Season Under Way In Holy Bull

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal is poised to make his 2022 debut in the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Saturday at Gulfstream Park, and his Hall of Fame trainer, Todd Pletcher, has opted for no soft spot for the son of Uncle Mo's highly anticipated return to action.

The 33rd running of the Holy Bull, the first graded-stakes on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1), headlines a 12-race program that will also feature the $100,000 Claiborne Swale (G3), $100,000 Forward Gal (G3), $100,000 Kitten's Joy (G3) and $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3).

Although Mo Donegal, 3-1 on the morning line, will be put to the test in a field that includes two Grade 1 stakes-placed opponents, the Pletcher-trained colt has already passed the most rigorous test for all Triple Crown prospects – the two-turn test over 1 1/8-miles. The $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale enters the Holy Bull off a gutsy triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Dec. 4.

“We were pretty focused on the Remsen right after he broke his maiden. We locked in on that and after the race I got with [Donegal Racing's] Jerry Crawford, and we talked about how we could go about getting on the Derby trail. We decided that the Holy Bull was the right starting point,” said Pletcher, who saddled Audible (2019) and Algorithms (2012) for Holy Bull victors. “It gives us plenty of options. If he were to run well, we still have the (March 4) Fountain of Youth to come back in if we wanted to or we could train up to the Florida Derby like we did with Audible. We kind of felt like it put us in a position to have the most options.”

Mo Donegal finished third in his Sept. 30 debut at Belmont, in which he broke slowly and was subsequently steadied in traffic. He came right back to graduate at 1 1/16 miles despite breaking a step slowly a month later. In the Remsen, Mo Donegal encountered bumping at the start, moved to the lead heading into the stretch, and battled with Zandon to the wire to eke out a triumph by a nose.

“I'm really pleased with his training since he came here after the Remsen. We targeted this right away and, knock on wood, thankfully everything has gone according to schedule,” Pletcher said. “He has not missed a beat since he's been here.”

Mo Donegal's Pletcher-trained sire, who captured the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, was 1-for-1 at Gulfstream, where he dominated the Timely Writer Stakes in his 3-year-old debut in March 2011. He takes after Uncle Mo in the looks department.

“Uncle Mo stamps his offspring probably more so than any stallion in the country. He looks like a lot of them do. He's got the same build. He's a good-sized colt,” Pletcher said. “He's had a bit of a growth spurt and he's done what you'd like to see 2-year-olds turning 3 and young 3-year-olds this time of year do, growing and physically developing.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount aboard Mo Donegal, whose opponents will include Kenny McPeek-trained Tiz the Bomb, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar, and Dale Romans-trained Giant Game, third-place finisher in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1.

Phoenix Thoroughbreds LTD's Tiz the Bomb rode a three-race winning streak into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf that started with a dazzling front-running maiden score by 14 ½ lengths in an off-the-turf second-out maiden race at Ellis Park July 2. The son of 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile turf winner Hit It a Bomb went on to capture the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland from off the pace on turf.

“There are limited opportunities for 3-year-old grass horses in North America. He's a really talented horse and we don't want to lock him in as strictly a grass horse. There's no sense pigeonholing him as a grass horse,” McPeek said. “Even last year we could have made a case for keeping him on dirt, but I chose to keep him separated from some of my other colts. At this stage, we're going to give him the opportunity to play on the dirt.”

Tiz the Bomb dropped back to 12^th while in traffic in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf before rallying strongly to finish second behind Modern Games.

“I thought it was somewhat of an unlucky trip, but he still ran well. It was a respectable run. He ran a good race; he split horses and came flying late. The other horse got a little bit of a jump on him,” said McPeek, who saddled Harvey Wallbanger for a 29-1 upset victory in the 2019 Holy Bull.

Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. is scheduled to travel from Fair Grounds for the Holy Bull.

Albaugh Family Stables LLC and West Point Thoroughbreds' Giant Game made a four-wide move into contention in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile before settling for third in his stakes debut. The son of Giants Causeway, who will be ridden by Luis Saez for the first time Saturday, had previously finished third in the debut before graduating by three lengths at Keeneland in his two-turn debut.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio enters the Holy Bull off a third-place finish behind McPeek-trained Smile Happy and Brian Lynch-trained Classic Causeway in the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

“He's coming out of a strong prep that Smile Happy won, and he's the Derby favorite right now. The [trainer Keith] Desormeaux horse [Call Me Midnight] that was behind him came back to win the prep at Fair Grounds [G3 Lecomte] the other day, so it's a race that's produced some good form so far,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He's going to face good horses again this time. This is going to be one of the best preps so far on the Derby trail competition-wise, so he's going to need to improve, but we feel like he's eligible to improve.”

White Abarrio was purchased privately after romping to a 6 ¾-length victory in his Sept. 24 debut at Gulfstream, where the son of Race Day came right back to score a five-length optional claiming allowance victory over Strike Hard, who went on to finish second in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream.

“He's doing well. He missed some time. He got a little sick, so he missed some days, but he was plenty fit before that,” Joseph said. “I think he goes in there with a good chance.”

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride White Abarrio for the first time in the Holy Bull.

Tami Bobo's Simplification, who won the Mucho Macho Man by four lengths in front-running style, is expected to set or attend the early pace while stretching out around two turns for the first time.

“The longer the race, the better is it for my horse,” trainer Antonio Sano said.

The long-striding son of Not This Time broke his maiden at Gulfstream by 16 ¾ lengths at six furlongs in his second career start. He came back to finish a troubled third again at six-furlongs before impressively stretching out to a mile in the Mucho Macho Man.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on Simplification.

OXO Equine LLC's Galt, who broke his maiden by three lengths while trying two turns for the first time at Gulfstream, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC's Eloquist, who finished fifth in the Remsen; Stonehedge LLC's Cajun's Magic, a strong force in the Florida Sire Stakes series last year; and BBN Racing LLC's Spin Wheel, a maiden winner at Churchill Downs last time out; are also entered in the Holy Bull.

Post/Horse/Jockey/Trainer/Morning Line Odds

1-Galt-Alvarado-Mott 15-1
2-Mo Donegal-I. Ortiz-Pletcher 5-2
3-Eloquist-Pennington-Reid 20-1
4-Simplefication-Castellano-Sano 4-1
5-Cajun's Magic-Rios-Yates 8-1
6-Tiz the Bomb-Hernandez-McPeek 6-1
7-Spin Wheel-Leparoux-Arnold 20-1
8-White Abarrio-Gaffalione-Joseph 6-1
9-Giant Game-Saez-Romans 7-2

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McPeek On Dash Attack’s Southwest Performance: ‘I Think We Left Him Short’

Locally based Dash Attack emerged in good order from his fifth-place finish in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds last Saturday, Jan. 29, at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., and will remain on the Kentucky Derby trail, his trainer, Kenny McPeek, said Tuesday night.

Dash Attack won his first two career starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, before being beaten 7 ¾ lengths by heavily favored Newgrange in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest. Dash Attack was racing over a fast track for the first time in the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“I think between that racetrack being a little bit deep and cuppy, and we kind of had to adjust our work schedule, I think we left him short,” McPeek said. “He got tired in the race. He seemed to come back fine, but I wish I had done a little more with him in hindsight. But the night before, it was extremely cold and I don't think they had much water on it (track) and he didn't handle it well.”

Dash Attack splashed to a two-length victory in the one-mile Smarty Jones, which was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2.

McPeek said Dash Attack “definitely” will be considered for the Rebel, which will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated qualifying races.

Dash Attack ranks No. 9 on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory.

“We're not ruling the Rebel out at all,” McPeek said. “We're going to kind of regroup and put another plan together and hopefully it unfolds a little better than the Southwest did.”

Southern California-based Bob Baffert said he will “definitely have something for the Rebel,” a 1 1/16-mile race the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record eight times. Barber Road, runner-up in the Smarty Jones and Southwest, is likely headed to the Rebel, trainer John Ortiz said.

Vivar is off the Kentucky Derby trail following his 10th-place finish in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday afternoon.

“We're going to give him a break and freshen him up,” said Cox, who trains Vivar for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. “Don't really think he's a dirt horse. Kind of always thought he was more grass. We've given him the opportunity and he really didn't answer the questions we were asking, so it's time to back up and give him some time and maybe point him for a grass campaign this summer.”

Vivar finished fifth in the Smarty Jones.

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This Side Up: A Good Life, If Luck Will Be a Lady

Yes, despite everything, life really is good.

I know that the industry press is currently saturated with the contention of attorneys, rather than racehorses. And I know that our sport, in the process, is squandering much of the cultural capital that should instead have been invested in the two compelling talents squaring up at Gulfstream Saturday. Yet perhaps one of the protagonists will not just put all these tawdry sagas aside, however briefly, but also pay a timely tribute to a mare who could get anyone interested in the game.

Her dam was once claimed for $5,000, and she herself made only $8,000 as a youngster. Her sire ended up standing for $2,500 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. But she did win a stake at Hoosier Park, elevating her value to $100,000 in the poignant dispersal of half a dozen fillies and mares owned by the late James T. Hines Jr.-who had died with shocking prematurity earlier in the year, in a swimming accident just four days before his best ever horse, Lawyer Ron, confirmed his Derby credentials in the Southwest S. at Oaklawn.

By that stage, at the Keeneland November Sale of 2006, this mare was 10 years old. Her catalog page listed a slipped first foal and two runners who had brought little to the party: her 3-year-old Marquetry filly would break her maiden, at the 10th attempt and under a $10,000 tag at Charles Town, two days after the sale; while her 2-year-old by Orientate had just won a couple of modest races, but only after publication of the catalog. There was also a yearling colt by Harlan's Holiday, who had been bought as a pinhook across town at Fasig-Tipton the previous month; and a weanling filly by Yankee Victor, who not only followed her directly into the ring but also accompanied her, for $11,000, to her new home at Clarkland Farm.

The following spring, the Mitchells of Clarkland sent their new mare to Rockport Harbor–and then watched with delight as her Harlan's Holiday colt, meanwhile named Into Mischief, won the GI Futurity at Hollywood Park.

The rest, of course, is quite literally Turf history. And while we had to close her own chapter this week, the sequel plainly has a long way to go-starting Saturday, when Into Mischief's latest champion, Life Is Good, squares up to Knicks Go (Paynter) in a showdown of unusual purity, with both horses sharing the same domineering style.

There are many reasons to celebrate the fact that Leslie's Lady–with a sire like Tricky Creek, and a dam by Stop The Music out of a One For All mare–should have become one of the great modern producers. For me, however, the principal lesson is how genetic flames can always still be kindled from what we take to be ashes, but are in fact embers.

Though a commercial failure, with no more than 18 stakes winners, a study late in his career placed Tricky Creek fifth among active national sires by percentage starters-to-foals; and seventh, by starts-per-starter. Leslie's Lady herself contributed with nine, 12 and seven starts across her three seasons, and surely her sire deserves some credit for the way that Beholder (Henny Hughes) managed to win Grade Is five seasons running.

So who can say what genetic strands have been revived through Leslie's Lady? Tricky Creek shared a damsire (His Majesty) with Danehill, while his third dam was the Darby Dan foundation mare Soaring (Swaps). At one stage Sheikh Mohammed gave $5.3 million for his yearling half-brother by Kingmambo.

Doubtless many will persevere in the touching notion that the three outstanding foals of Leslie's Lady shared some kind of magic trigger in the Storm Cat line. Personally, however, I will never be persuaded that Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), for instance, should owe everything to the alchemy of Storm Cat and nothing to the byzantine interplay of 15 others with an identical genetic stake.

If you visit the equivalent generation in the pedigree of Leslie's Lady, the eight mares include several (Soaring as mentioned, but also Flower Bowl, Quill, ShThisenanigans etc) who corroborated their distinction in more ways than one, either as elite runners themselves; as multiple stakes producers; or both. When you look at the virtually seamless quality of stallions seeding that generation, in an era when books remained confined to three dozen or so, then it stands to reason that these mares had earned their access.

I don't know why their combined prowess should have lain dormant, or quite what has ignited it now. But I do know that I can't know, which puts me one step ahead of the guys who purport to have a system or formula. It is the mystery, after all, that captivates us all; and it is also the mystery that gives us all a chance.

Besides the big duel in Florida, Saturday also renews the Derby trial won by Lawyer Ron, when suddenly carrying estate silks for a grieving family; and another, the GII San Vicente S., in which Into Mischief was so disappointing on his reappearance that he disappeared until the fall.

In the Oaklawn race, the man who last year lost the services of Life Is Good runs a rising star of the next crop, even though ineligible for the Derby starting points available to the rest of the field.

Unlike Corniche (Quality Road), whose status is opaque in his continued absence from the worktab, Newgrange (Violence) is owned by a remarkably extensive syndicate. If Bob Baffert's stalemate with Churchill doesn't get resolved in time, then you have to wonder whether so many disparate interests, so many wealthy people accustomed to calling the shots, could contrive both the opportunity and the unanimity to move a Derby colt into another barn.

As I've suggested before, if Baffert wants to introduce a bit of class to a dismal situation for the whole industry, he might perhaps himself insist that his friends and patrons are not left to choose between a chance in a lifetime, at the Derby, and a perceived obligation of fidelity to a guy who has–at least for now–won the thing seven times already. But he's only human, and maybe the spectacle of last year's GIII Sham S. winner running for $3 million out of another barn will be just too maddening for Baffert to evict Newgrange in his wake.

I'm intrigued by a couple of closers in this field, not least one saddled by a promising young trainer name of D. Wayne Lukas, and here's another race where the stars could easily align for Kenny “King Midas” McPeek. But I guess we will probably end up with the usual, collective meekness when it comes to contesting control of the race with a Baffert speed horse.

With no McPeek to worry about in his backyard, Baffert fields three of the five in the San Vicente, a race he has harvested 11 times already. If Doppelganger can put the record straight for his sire in this race, then, we could be looking at an apt day of coast-to-coast achievement for Into Mischief.

In saluting his dam, who was at least granted her full span of years and a peaceful retirement, let's not forget her breeder, who was not. What a legacy they share! The three busiest American stallions of 2021, with 690 mares between them, were Practical Joke, Goldencents and Authentic, all sons of Into Mischief. The Spendthrift champion himself covered 216 elite mares at his monster fee; while his half-brother Mendelssohn, after staggering books of 252 and 242 in his first two years, idled at 197.

So you never know how things will turn out, with horses. Lawyer Ron, launched with much more fanfare than Into Mischief, was in only his second season at stud when lost to colic.

He, of course, was a horse named for a human. These days, conversely, it sometimes feels as though horses are only competing as elegant proxies for humans. Long after the dust has settled on a race, the lawyers will tell us the real finishing order. But there is, thank goodness, a limit to human ingenuity. And in celebrating Leslie's Lady, we celebrate the enigmas we can never unravel. That being so, our quest will always retain its romance; and life will continue to be good.

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David Cohen Hoping For Return Trip To Kentucky Derby With Dash Attack

A year after riding in his first Kentucky Derby, David Cohen could smell the roses again in 2022 with unbeaten Dash Attack, the 7-2 second choice in the program for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Saturday at Oaklawn.

Cohen guided Dash Attack (2 for 2) to victories in his Dec. 5 career debut and the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, the latter Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Cohen had never been on Dash Attack before the chestnut son of Munnings closed with a rush to capture his career debut at Oaklawn for trainer Kenny McPeek. The Smarty Jones came roughly 9 ½ years after Cohen and McPeek teamed to win the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga with Golden Ticket.

“That's what David meant in the interview (following the Smarty Jones) – to circle back with Kenny – it's great,” said Cohen's longtime agent, Bill Castle. “After winning with Golden Ticket, to try and repeat like that, 'Wow!'”

Dash Attack is among 12 horses entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races Saturday. Racing begins at 12 p.m. (Central), with probable post time for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

The projected Southwest field from the rail out:

Ben Diesel, Jon Court to ride, 117 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line
Dash Attack, David Cohen, 122, 7-1
Don'tcrossthedevil, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 30-1
Kavod, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 12-1
Costa Terra, Tiago Pereira, 117, 12-1
Osbourne, David Cabrera, 117, 8-1
Ignitis, Luis Contreras, 117, 10-1
Barber Road, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 5-1
Classic Moment, Martin Garcia, 117, 12-1
Newgrange, John Velazquez, 122, 2-1
Call Me Jamal, Geovanni Franco, 117, 30-1
Vivar, Florent Geroux, 119, 12-1

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory and ranks ninth on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released Sunday by Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated races like the Smarty Jones and the Southwest, which also offers 17 to the four finishers (10-4-2-1).

Castle said McPeek asked him before the Oaklawn meeting began Dec. 3 if Cohen would be interested riding a “talented unraced baby” the trainer had, aka Dash Attack, in his career debut. McPeek didn't have to ask twice, Castle said.

“Just thrilled to be on him,” Castle said. “Just fortunate.”

Both of Dash Attack's victories have come at 1 mile over an off track. He was a 1 ¼-length winner of his career debut at odds of 10-1, then won the Smarty Jones by two lengths at odds of 7-1.

“Kenny told me he had some issues with the horse physically early on and that's why he was a late bloomer and was probably about 80 percent fit going into the first race,” Cohen said. “Naturally, first time out, two turns, off track, sitting in the pocket, you expect a horse to get better for the next time out. We were hoping that he didn't regress of that effort, but he came out of that race very well.”

The Smarty Jones marked Cohen's 20th career victory for McPeek, according to statistical provider Equineline. More than half (13) came in 2012, including the Travers.

“It's a blessing,” Cohen said, referring to Dash Attack. “Kenny and I, we've linked up in the past for some big wins, the Travers being one of them. To have this year come around and have a horse this early, it's a blessing.”

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Cohen, 37, finished seventh aboard Keepmeinmind in last year's Kentucky Derby for trainer Robertino Diodoro, the jockey's major client. His Kentucky Derby debut came a little more than seven years after a severe leg injury (he was kicked by a horse in the paddock before a Feb. 1, 2014, race at Aqueduct) and the subsequent deaths of deaths of his father (cancer) and sister (head injury) threatened to derail the jockey's once-promising career.

Cohen rode his first winner in 2004 and ranked sixth nationally in victories (288) and 24th in purse earnings ($7,357,326) – both career highs – in 2009 competing in New York and the Mid-Atlantic, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Golden Ticket, a 33-1 long shot, dead-heated with favored Alpha in the prestigious Travers, billed the “Midsummer Derby.”

“In those years, Kenny was a tremendous supporter, from Golden Ticket to graded stakes horses like that,” Castle said. “We're fortunate to have fallen into Kenny's barn right now.”

After not riding in 2015 and 2016, Cohen returned to the saddle in late 2017 and rode 37 winners in his Oaklawn debut in 2018 to finish third in the standings. Cohen rode 75 winners the following year at Oaklawn to end Ricardo Santana Jr.'s six-year hold on the title. Now, he's winning races for McPeek again.

“He's always done a good job for me,” McPeek said. “He's going to stay on this horse until he gets beat, I suppose. He's a good rider. I think he's equally excited.”

Dash Attack completed major preparations for the Southwest with a 5-furlong maintenance workout in 1:01.40 Monday morning under Cohen. The track was fast.

“Just let him stretch his legs and finish up,” McPeek said. “Pretty basic stuff for us.”

The Southwest is part of a stakes tripleheader Saturday.

The $200,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles has drawn a field of six, including multiple stakes winner Optionality and powerful Dec. 31 allowance winner Secret Oath. Nine horses are entered in the $150,000 King Cotton for older sprinters, including Grade 1 winner Collusion Illusion, track record holders Hollis and Nashville and defending champion Boldor.

Newgrange and Collusion Illusion were scheduled to arrive Wednesday following a flight from Southern California, where both horses are based.

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