McPeek looks for 2nd straight Belmont Derby upset

Stakes-placed Mendelssohns March will be upset-minded in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, a 10-furlong inner turf test for sophomores at Belmont Park.

Trainer Kenny McPeek won this event last year with 26-1 shot Classic Causeway, who posted a gate-to-wire score over favored Nations Pride and second choice Stone Age. This year, he returns with the improving Mendelssohns March, who enters from a close runner-up effort to returning rival Webslinger in the nine-furlong Audubon on June 3 at Churchill Downs.

The Mendelssohn colt graduated on debut in February via disqualification traveling one mile over firm Fair Grounds turf. He made his next two starts on dirt, winning an optional claimer at Oaklawn in March over sloppy and sealed conditions before finishing sixth in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. Mendelssohns March returned to grass in May and finished ninth in the American Turf (G2) when defeated 4 3/4 lengths by Webslinger.

“He's coming off a really good run. We know it's a tough race, but we think he's going to like the added distance,” McPeek said. “He's acting like he's quite ratable. He started his career really well, 2-for-2. This is an ambitious spot for him, we realize that, but you're not going to get many opportunities to run a mile and a quarter.”

The $110,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase is out of the Galileo mare Unappeased, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Sligo Bay.

“He's a beautiful-moving horse,” McPeek said. “I bought him as a yearling and with a Galileo mare, how can you go wrong with that? I really thought he was one of my top 3-year-olds, and this is an opportunity to prove himself at a high level.”

McPeek said Mendelssohns March, who will exit the inside post Saturday under Dylan Davis, has trained very well at Saratoga over the Oklahoma trainer turf, working in company with promising filly Freydis the Red.

The French-bred daughter of Saxon Warrior will make her stakes debut in Saturday's co-featured Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1).

The 10-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies kicks off the Fillies Turf Triple series, which is followed by the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) on Aug. 4 at Saratoga and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3) on Sept. 16 going 11 furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.

Freydis the Red completed the exacta on three occasions before breaking through last out at sixth asking on May 29 in a nine-furlong maiden special weight over firm Churchill turf. The 4 1/4-length score garnered a career-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I think she's a filly that's getting ready to move forward, and I think she's another one we'd like to try at a mile and a quarter,” McPeek said. “The expectations are high for her. She ran really fast in her last race, and if she can replicate that and maybe move a little bit forward off the added distance – obviously black type is important – to get her Grade 1-placed would be a big deal.”

McPeek purchased the chestnut, out of the Shirocco mare Songerie, for $147,403 from the Arqana Deauville August yearling sale.

“She was a real standout as a yearling,” McPeek said. “She was a little unlucky trying to get her maiden broke last year. But she really put it together in her last race.”

The late-running chestnut will exit post 8 under Junior Alvarado.

McPeek sent out a pair of multiple graded-stakes winning starters in Saturday's Stephen Foster (G1) at Ellis Park with Rattle N Roll, in second, and Smile Happy, fifth, performing admirably in the nine-furlong route won by West Will Power.

“They both came out of it fine,” McPeek said. “Smile Happy wasn't very cooperative going to the gate. We may try blindfolding him going to the starting gate next time, but he's historically been tough to deal with. Rattle N Roll is a consummate professional.”

Rattle N Roll, a 4-year-old Connect colt, captured the 2021 Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland as a juvenile. He entered the Stephen Foster on a three-race win streak in Grade 3 events, taking the 1 3/16-mile Ben Ali in April at Keeneland, the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special in May and the nine-furlong Blame in June at Churchill.

He rallied from seventh in the Stephen Foster to finish a half-length behind the winner, while earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure, his fifth consecutive triple-digit figure.

Smile Happy, a 4-year-old Runhappy colt, made the grade at second asking in the 2021 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs. He entered the Foster from a sharp score in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba (G2) in May at Churchill Downs, besting multiple Grade 1-winner Art Collector by two lengths with West Will Power in third.

McPeek said both horses will be nominated to the Whitney (G1), a nine-furlong rest for older horses Aug. 5 at Saratoga that offers a win and you're-in berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November.