Thursday’s Racing Insights: McPeek Duo Back in Action at Oaklawn

8th-OP, $106K, OC 50k/N2X, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 5:22 p.m.

The Ken McPeek-trained duo of 'TDN Rising Star' SMILE HAPPY (Runhappy) and CREATIVE MINISTER (Creative Cause) kick off their 4-year-old seasons at Oaklawn Park Thursday.

Smile Happy, winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at two and runner-up as the favorite in last year's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., makes his first start since finishing eighth in the GI Kentucky Derby. The 2-1 morning-line favorite gets first-time Lasix while facing seven rivals here.

Creative Minister, a respectable third in last year's GI Preakness S., came within a nose of recording a career high in Churchill's Bourbon Trail S. Sept. 24. He was a well-beaten eighth in an optional claimer at Keeneland when last seen in the fall. TJCIS PPs

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Wednesday Insights: Tapit Half to Dual GISW Debuts at KEE

4th-KEE, $80K, Msw, 2yo, 4.5f, Post Time: 2:36 p.m.
The prolific team of Winchell Thoroughbreds and Steve Asmussen present $460,000 Keeneland September buy MAGIC TAP (Tapit) at Keeneland Wednesday. Out of Grade II-placed American Story (Ghostzapper), the grey is a half-brother to dual Grade I winner American Gal (Concord Point). Subsequent to her racing career, the Kaleem Shah homebred realized $3-million at Fasig-Tipton in the fall of 2018. The juvenile colt will be accompanied by Joel Rosario for this unveiling. Likely to get much of the play at the windows is Ranlo Investment's Talkin Pharoah (American Pharoah). Trained by Wesley Ward, the son of MSP Just Talkin (Midshipman) is a $260,000 KEESEP purchase. Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call. TJCIS PPs

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Saturday’s Insights: $1.3-Million Full to Dream Tree Debuts in Hallandale

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

3rd-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 12:58 p.m. ET

The third-priciest juvenile to sell at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream 2-year-old sale when he brought $1.3 million after working an eighth in :10, Palm Island (Uncle Mo) is unveiled for the partnership of Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg Limited (Michael Kuessner). His full-sister Dream Tree won the first five of her career, including the 2017 GI Starlet S. and two other graded races. Palm Island has been working well for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, including a bullet 1:01 for five furlongs (1/9) at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 29. He'll have to get by Nitrous Channel (Nyquist), another pricey Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream grad trained by former Pletcher assistant George Weaver. The $625,000 FTFMAR buy (who also worked in :10 flat) debuts for R. A. Hill Stable (Raymond A. Hill), Reeves Thoroughbred Racing (Dean Reeves), and Spedale Family Racing, LLC (Salvatore A. Spedale). His third dam is a half to champion and blue hen Serena's Song (Rahy). Nitrous Channel is bred similarly to Palm Island as both are out of Afleet Alex mares and by a champion and leading sire father-son duo.

6th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 1m70y (AWT), 2:27 p.m. ET

Robert and Lawana Low plucked My Romeo Lima (Malibu Moon) out of the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale for $610,000–the most expensive yearling that year by the late Spendthrift sire–and turned him over to Pletcher. No doubt they're hoping lightning can strike twice, as their 2016 Malibu Moon purchase at the same sale, also trained by Pletcher, would go on to become 'TDN Rising Star' Magnum Moon, eventual winner of the GI Arkansas Derby. My Romeo Lima is out of 2013 GII Vagrancy H. runner-up Fantasy of Flight (Tiznow).

3rd-SA, $69K, Aoc, 4yo/up, 7f, 4:32 p.m. ET

Michael Lund Petersen's Shaaz (Uncle Mo) takes on fellow winners after a Dec. 26 green but triumphant debut over this surface, where he notched a gaudy 105 Beyer Speed Figure. The $1.1-million topper from the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale (an eighth in :10) gets blinkers and has fit in four works since his win, including a bullet five panels in :59 (1/17) Jan. 20. A Bob Baffert trainee, Shaaz is a half to GSW Azar (Scat Daddy) from the extended family of MGSW Coal Front (Stay Thirsty) and GISW Twilight Agenda (Devil's Bag).

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Jan. 7 Insights: More Than Ready Rising Star Returns in Tampa Allowance

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2nd-TAM, $31.5K, Alw/Opt. Clm ($75K), 3yo, 1m 40y, 1:09 p.m. ET

WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's EMMANUEL (More Than Ready) ran away to a well-bet debut victory and 'TDN Rising Star' honors last month at Gulfstream and will get his first two-turn test in this salty Tampa allowance early on Friday's card. Bought for $350,000 at Keeneland September, the bay was backed down to 7-5 against nine rivals when unveiled over a mile Dec. 11, shook off some early pace pressure and cruised home a 6 3/4-length winner. His rider that day, Luis Saez, travels across the Sunshine State to keep the mount. Emmanuel's main competition appears to be Conrad Farms' Golden Glider (Ghostzapper), who also impressed in a first-out victory, albeit with a totally different running style. Supported at 7-2 in a 12-horse field when unveiled going 1 1/16 miles Nov. 27 at Woodbine, the Mark Casse trainee dropped back to last before passing every rival and sweeping to the lead late for a one-length graduation. Fringe contenders include Trigger Happy (Gun Runner), who returns in just 11 days after romping to a 9 1/4-length debut score Dec. 27 at Hawthorne, Boitano (Nyquist), who earned his cap and gown for Godolphin and Eoin Harty here Nov. 27, and Cloud Play (Into Mischief), last seen running a close third in the Fitz Dixon, Jr. Memorial Juvenile S. Oct. 11 at Presque Isle. TJCIS PPs@JBiancaTDN

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