Trainer Kenny McPeek has 13 horses entered in Saturday's “Stars of Tomorrow II” program at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and among his rising juveniles on the card are Grade 1 winner Simply Ravishing in the $200,000 Golden Rod (G2) and stakes winner King Fury in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2).
McPeek will attempt to win his second Golden Rod in this year's edition with Harold Lerner LLC, Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables' $350,000 Ashland (G1) winner Simply Ravishing. In her most recent start, the promising filly finished fourth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
“I thought she ran a great race considering how it shaped up early,” McPeek said. “She didn't break well at all and had a tough trip the entire way around there. I think it was very promising the way she finished up considering the problems she had.”
Simply Ravishing was made the even-money morning line favorite in the Golden Rod and will break from post No. 8 with Robby Albarado in the saddle.
Two races later, Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's $98,000 Street Sense winner King Fury is listed at 6-1 on the morning line as he attempts his third victory at Churchill Downs.
“He's 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs so we know he really likes it here,” McPeek said. “We've added blinkers to him in hopes to get him to the next level. I think they could add to his focus and really get him there. His only two blemishes came at Keeneland so we're excited to get him back to Churchill.”
McPeek has won 12 races on the Stars of Tomorrow II program since it was inaugurated in 2006. He won the 2010 Golden Rod with Kathballu and finished second in last year's race with Swiss Skydiver. In 2018, McPeek won the Kentucky Jockey Club with Signalman.
Run at 1 1/16 miles, the Kentucky Jockey Club is carded as Race 11 of 12 on Saturday's program. First post is 1 p.m. ET, the Kentucky Jockey Club will go at 5:56 p.m., and the Golden Rod will go as Race 9 at 4:57 p.m.
In the Kentucky Jockey Club, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) third-place finisher Keepmeinmind was made the 6-5 morning line favorite in the field of nine.
The complete field for the Kentucky Jockey Club (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): #1 Sittin On Go (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans, 5-1); #1a Smiley Sobotka (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans, 5-1); #2 Swill (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 6-1); #3 Arabian Prince (Tyler Gaffalione, Dallas Stewart, 8-1); #4 Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro 6-5); #5 Inspector Frost (John Velazquez, Cox, 8-1); #6 Oncoming Train (Rafael Bejarano, Jimmy DiVito, 10-1); #7 King Fury (Hernandez, McPeek, 6-1); #8 Ultimate Badger (Joe Talamo, Romans, 15-1).
The field for the Golden Rod, from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Lady Lilly (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen, 15-1); No Mo Spending (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes, 15-1); Coach (Joe Talamo, Cox, 6-1); Farsighted (Julien Leparoux, Rusty Arnold II, 15-1); Travel Column (Florent Geroux, Cox, 5-1); Clairiere (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen, 6-1); Lady Traveler (Corey Lanerie, Dale Romans, 20-1); Simply Ravishing (Albarado, McPeek, even-money); Princess Theorem (John Velazquez, Brendan Walsh, 10-1); and Alexandria (Gerardo Corrales, Tim Hamm, 15-1).
The post McPeek Seeing Stars? Trainer Has 13 Entries For All-Juvenile Program At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
