McPeek points Smile Happy to Blue Grass at Keeneland

Trainer Kenny McPeek has decided to send Smile Happy to Keeneland for his final Kentucky Derby prep.

McPeek confirmed for Horse Racing Nation on Monday that the winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in November will be entered in the April 9 Blue Grass Stakes (G1), which offers 100-40-20-10 Derby qualifying points. Jay Privman of Daily Racing Form posted the news Monday on Twitter.

Smile Happy was 2-for-2 last year but was beaten last month by Epicenter in the Risen Star (G2) in his only start this year. That and his Kentucky Jockey Club win gave him 30 points on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, so a third-place finish in the Blue Grass should be enough to get him to the starting gate May 7. A fourth-place finish also might get him to Churchill Downs.

McPeek's other Kentucky Derby hopefuls are Tiz the Bomb, who has 10 Derby points for his win in the John Battaglia Memorial, and Rattle N Roll, who also has 10 Derby points after winning the Breeders' Futurity (G1) last fall at Keeneland.