Oaklawn: Smile Happy, Creative Minister return for McPeek

Thursday’s eighth race at Oaklawn, courtesy of trainer Kenny McPeek, has a 2022 Triple Crown flavor.

McPeek is scheduled to send out Smile Happy and Creative Minister, the top two program choices, in the $106,000 allowance for older horses going 1 1/8 miles.

Smile Happy, a Grade 2 winner for Lucky Seven Stable, has not started since finishing eighth in the Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs.

Creative Minister, stakes-placed for Fern Circle Stables, finished third in the Preakness and fifth in the Belmont Stakes. He has not started since finishing sixth in an Oct. 20 allowance race at Keeneland.

“Unfortunately, they both fell under the same allowance condition, and they were both ready at the same time,” McPeek said this week. “Reluctant to run them against each other, but really, development-wise, it’s good for both horses.”

Smile Happy (2-1 on the morning line) and Creative Minister (3-1) have been based this winter and early spring at Fair Grounds.

Smile Happy was among the country’s leading Kentucky Derby prospects last year after winning both starts at 2, including a maiden-breaker and the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at 1 1/16 miles, by a combined 8 3/4 lengths.

After finishing second in two major Kentucky Derby preps to open his 3-year-old campaign, Smile Happy suffered bone bruising, McPeek said, and did not run again in 2022 after losing by 10 lengths to Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby.

“We turned him out for a little while at my farm in Lexington, and when we brought him back, I still wasn’t happy with the way he was moving,” McPeek said. “Then we turned him out again and just let him sit for a while. He’s come back this time good. These things sometimes take a little longer than you think. Really nice horse and excited about him as a 4-year-old as well as Creative Minister.”

After finishing third in the Preakness, Creative Minister finished third in the Curlin on July 29 at Saratoga, third in the Smarty Jones (G3) on Aug. 23 at Parx Racing and second, beaten by a nose, in the Bourbon Trail at 1 3/16 miles Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs.

“We just stopped on him,” McPeek said. “He had run winter, spring, summer, fall and it was just a good period for him to grow up a little bit.”

McPeek said if Smile Happy and Creative Minister perform well Thursday, they could be considered for upcoming races at Oaklawn, Keeneland or Churchill Downs.

The probable post time for Thursday’s eighth race is 5:22 p.m. EDT.