Barn Tour: McPeek talks Derby prospects, other stakes horses

Dash Attack was the first of four Kentucky Derby prospects for trainer Kenny McPeek to return as a 3-year-old when winning the Smarty Jones Stakes on New Year’s Day at Oaklawn Park.

Last weekend he would follow-up with a disappointing fifth in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

Now things really start to ramp up for McPeek on the Derby trail. Tiz the Bomb, unraced since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, is set to go in Saturday's Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner Smile Happy remains on track for the Feb. 19 Risen Star (G2) and Rattle N Roll recently returned to the work tab for a likely tilt in the March 12 Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

McPeek is on the short list of most accomplished trainers without a Kentucky Derby win. He recently spoke with Horse Racing Nation for insights on his quartet of top sophomores, plus a trio of older stakes horses that are slated to return later this year.

Dash Attack. Sent off the 3-1 second choice in the Southwest won by favorite Newgrange, Dash Attack raced in mid-pack throughout and checked in some 7 3/4 lengths behind the winner.

McPeek on Wednesday shouldered the blame for the lackluster effort.

“I’m going to take the bullet on that one,” McPeek said. “I don’t think we did a good job preparing him. We had kind of a lazy last breeze going in. We were dodging frozen racetracks and closed racetracks, but I think I should have done a little more with him. I think he was a little short. But you know, hindsight is 20/20. Ultimately it’s my responsibility. We’ll get it right.”

McPeek added that other than being tired, the Munnings colt came out of the Southwest in good order and would likely wheel back Feb. 26 in the $1 million Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn. The Rebel offers a total of 80 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby with 50 going to the winner.

Tiz the Bomb. The Hit It A Bomb colt drew post six in a field of nine set for the Holy Bull, which awards Kentucky Derby points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top-four finishers. The Holy Bull will be Tiz the Bomb’s first start on dirt since breaking his maiden at Ellis Park last July. Following that, he won both the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and Bourbon Stakes (G2) at Keeneland prior to the Breeders’ Cup.

McPeek is expecting a big effort on Saturday based off Tiz the Bomb's morning training, which includes five breezes since Jan. 1.

“Obviously he hasn’t run since the Breeders’ Cup, but he’s developed really well,” he said. “He had a little scratch (after the Breeders’ Cup), but we got that sorted out and he’s really been training well. I’m pretty confident going into this race.”

Smile Happy. Unraced since winning the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) to improve to 2-for-2, the son of Runhappy has worked four times at Gulfstream Park since Jan. 1. McPeek reiterated the Risen Star at Fair Grounds was the likely return spot for Smile Happy. The Risen Star awards Kentucky Derby points on a scale of 50-20-10-5 to the top-four finishers.

“He has two more breezes scheduled and he’ll be ready for the race on the 19th,” McPeek said of the Risen Star.

Smile Happy, a $185,000 auction purchase as a yearling by Lucky Seven Stable, won his debut going two turns at Keeneland by 5 ½ lengths in late October. Sent off the 4-1 third choice in the Kentucky Jockey Club, Smile Happy rallied from off the pace and drew off to win by 3 ¼ lengths.

In the latest Kentucky Derby futures in Nevada, Smile Happy is trading as the 16-1 favorite.

Rattle N Roll. The son of Connect was the last of McPeek’s Derby prospects to return to the tab with a three-furlong work on Jan. 22, followed by another three-eighths breeze in a quick 35.67 seconds last Saturday. He has not started since winning the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on Oct. 9.

“I’ll probably move him up to a half mile this week and I may even work him and Smile Happy together, I haven’t decided yet.” McPeek said. “It’s more than likely he’ll go to the Tampa Bay Derby for his next run.”

Rattle N Roll was slated to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile following his win in the Breeders’ Futurity, but had to bypass the race when he developed an abscess in his left hind hoof.

Also campaigned by Lucky Seven Stable, Rattle N Roll was a $210,000 auction purchase as a yearling. He broke his maiden in his third start at Churchill Downs last September prior to winning the Breeders’ Futurity.

King Fury, Envoutante, Crazy Beautiful. All three of these graded-stakes performers from a year ago are preparing for 2022 campaigns, McPeek said.

“All are back galloping at Gulfstream and are set to have their first works back this weekend more than likely,” McPeek said. “Probably not scheduled to run until late March or early April.”

Envoutante won last year’s Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs and closed out her 4-year-old campaign with a win in the Nov. 25 Falls City (G2), also at Churchill Downs. King Fury, who won last year’s Lexington (G2), has not started since a fifth in the Nov. 26 Clark (G1). Crazy Beautiful won last year’s Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita, Delaware Oaks (G3) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).