Barn Tour: McPeek discusses his BC possible + 15 others

Trainer Kenny McPeek has one possible contender for this year’s Breeders’ Cup, and he’s “a little disappointed” that he doesn’t have more.

Not that he’s complaining. His operation is closing in on $10 million in earnings this year, which would top his previous high of $9.3 million last year. He’s won 16 stakes this year, seven graded, and “those are hard to do,” he told Horse Racing Nation on Tuesday. And he’s had plenty of Breeders’ Cup starters, with seven second-place finishes and 10 thirds but no wins.

McPeek has bred and owned horses with his wife Sherri through Magdalena Farm in Lexington, Ky., for 20 years. “Time’s just flown by,” he said. Silverleaf Hills Training Center in Ocala, Fla., has been “a great addition,” and his younger horses are there. Plus he has 36 horses in training at Churchill Downs, 60 at Keeneland and 18 in New York.

“We've got a real good foundation, a good team, and everybody seems to be rowing in the same direction,” McPeek said. “And I'd like to think we could get the stable in the top 10 on a regular basis. And I think right now we're 12 to 13. So we're close to that.”

McPeek discussed his possible Breeders’ Cup contender and 15 other talented horses in his stable for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour feature.

V V’s Dream. The 2-year-old Mitole filly, co-owned by Magdalena Farm, has two wins and two seconds from four starts. She won the Grade 3 Pocahontas by 8 3/4 lengths in September and was second last out in the Alcibiades (G1). Regarding whether to pursue the Breeders’ Cup, “we haven't fully decided yet,” McPeek said. “We're still kind of working through some details.” Another option would be the Rags to Riches on Oct. 29 at Churchill, he said.

Generous Tipper. This 2-year-old Street Sense colt broke his maiden in August and then was third in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on Oct. 7. He’ll run next in the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill on Oct. 29.

Northern Flame. The 2-year-old son of Flameaway was fourth in the Breeders’ Futurity and also will be nominated to the Street Sense.

Defining Purpose. The 3-year-old daughter of Cross Traffic won the Ashland (G1) and the Indiana Oaks (G3) this year and was fifth in the Cotillion (G1) in her latest start. She is pointed to the Mother Goose (G2) at Aqueduct on Oct. 28.

Freydis the Red. After breaking his maiden in May, the 3-year-old daughter of Saxon Warrior has had four starts with one win, in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. She finished ninth in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), and McPeek said, “we don't think she liked the soft turf. … We’re just going to probably find an easier spot,” likely the Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill on Nov. 24.

Hayes Strike. The 3-year-old Connect colt has two wins in black-type stakes from seven starts this year. McPeek said he’s getting a rest and will return later this year.

Corningstone. The 3-year-old Kantharos filly is 3-for-7 this year and will start next in an allowance at Keeneland next Friday.

Frosted Departure. The 3-year-old son of Frosted is winless in eight starts this year after starting off with a third-place finish in the Southwest (G3). Second last out in an optional-claiming allowance at Keeneland, he is pointed to the Steel Valley Sprint for 3-year-olds at Mahoning Valley on Nov. 20.

Sun Thunder. The 3-year-old Into Mischief colt hasn’t raced since finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby. “Sun Thunder has had an extended break. He had a little glute muscle that was bothering him back in the spring. And he is galloping at Churchill.” He had one published work in September, “but then he's had an abscess and a foot. So we've been dealing with a lot of little stuff. … I think you'll see him surface sometime this winter, probably either Oaklawn or Fair Grounds.”

Mendelssohns March. The 3-year-old Mendelssohn colt started the year with wins in his first two career starts but is winless since, finishing fourth last out in the Saranac (G3) at Saratoga. “Mendelssohn's March had a tibia and is on my farm in Lexington getting a break,” McPeek said.

Denington. He has only one win this year, but the 3-year-old Gun Runner colt “has been a nice solid horse this year,” McPeek said. “He's going to run in a two-other-than at Keeneland on the 28th of October.”

Rattle N Roll. The 4-year-old Connect colt won three of seven starts this year, including the Ben Ali (G3) and Pimlico Special (G3),  and was last seen finishing fourth in the Lukas Classic (G2). McPeek said he’s getting a break for the winter.

Smile Happy. The 4-year-old Runhappy colt has a 4: 2-0-1 record this year, with a win in the Alysheba (G2) in May. His next start was a fifth-place finish in the Stephen Foster (G1) in July, and he hasn’t raced since. McPeek said he’s been training at his Ocala farm, and he’ll return “when he decides. He's been a horse that's been difficult to handle, and we're at this point kind of contemplating what direction we go with him, whether we continue forward, give him a little break and then bring him back as an older horse again, or if we sell him for stallion plans. But we haven't done either yet.”

Dash Attack. The 4-year-old son of Munnings is 2-for-8 this year with one stakes start, a third-place finish in the Charles Town Classic (G2). He won his most recent start, an optional-claiming allowance at Churchill, and will start next in the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland next Saturday.

Lovely Princess. The 4-year-old Twirling Candy filly started the year with an allowance win at Keeneland and has finished second in her three starts since. McPeek said she’ll run Sunday in the Dowager (G3) at Keeneland.

King Fury. The 5-year-old son of Curlin was sixth in two stakes in January and February, then took a break and returned Sept. 28 to finish third in an optional-claiming allowance at Churchill. He also will make his next start in the Fayette. “He's a horse that, he's made a bit of money, but he had a third his last run and we're hopeful he's moving forward.”