Fair Grounds: McPeek brings 3 juveniles to Saturday stakes

With four stakes entries on road to the Derby kickoff day at Fair Grounds, trainer Kenny McPeek brings a double-barreled attack of 2-year-old colts into the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes, led by 7-2 morning-line favorite Liberty National.

“I think Liberty National is sitting on a big race,” McPeek said. “It will be his third start. I think the timing’s ideal. We're just kind of firing away with him. He's rocket-ship fast.”

A field of eight juveniles entered the 1 1/16-mile Gun Runner, the first Fair Grounds stop on the road to Kentucky Derby 2026. The race awards 10-5-3-2-1 points to the top five finishers.

Click here for Fair Grounds entries and results.

Liberty National debuted in mid-October at Keeneland, finishing sixth, 11 lengths back, in a seven-furlong race. But the son of Maxfield showed promise by galloping out strongly with a high cruising speed. Stretching out to two turns in his second start, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, the $525,000 purchase overcame early trouble and soft fractions to rally from off the pace and draw clear by 4 1/4 lengths.

In his work at Fair Grounds, Liberty National was clocked at five furlongs in 1:01.60, working in company with stablemate and Gun Runner rival Very Connected, who went 1:01.80.

A full brother to Hidden Connection, Very Connected has earned 5 Kentucky Derby points with a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and a third-place effort in the Street Sense (G3).

“Very Connected is a nice horse in his own right,” McPeek said. “He’ll benefit from the longer stretch at Fair Grounds.”

Scheduled as race 11 on a 12-race card, the Gun Runner concludes four consecutive stakes races. Immediately preceding it, the $100,000 Untapable attracted eight juvenile fillies for the 1 mile, 70 yard Kentucky Oaks (G1) points prep. Tabbed at 3-1 in the morning line, McPeek trainee Miss Call will run in the Untapable, though she's cross-entered in the Toby Keith Stakes at Remington Park.

The Silver State filly was stakes-placed in October’s White Clay Creek at Delaware Park. She made two starter-allowance appearances during Churchill Downs’ November meet, beginning with a one-turn mile, where she finished second to Hit Parade, the Brad Cox-trained morning-line favorite in the Untapable.

“(Miss Call) ran well, but she wants two turns,” McPeek said.

In her most recent start, Miss Call overcame early difficulties to rally for third. 

“She had a massive excuse last time,” McPeek said. “She was badly bumped leaving the gate. She could have and should have won.”

In the $100,000 Tenacious Stakes, which opens Saturday’s stakes action as race 8, McPeek will saddle Sir Greylind. A stakes-placed 4-year-old, Sir Greylind has four wins and has never finished out of the money in nine starts. He enters the Tenacious off two strong allowance performances, including a dominant victory in mid-November at Churchill Downs.

“He's moving through his allowance conditions, and at this point, he deserves a shot against horses like these,” McPeek said. “It's a good listed-stakes field.”