McPeek: Envoutante, Impeccable Style bypassing Kentucky Oaks

Besides top contender Swiss Skydiver, trainer Kenny McPeek will not run any of his other eligible fillies in the 2020 Kentucky Oaks  on Sept. 4. 

Envoutante, 16th on the Kentucky Oaks points leaderboard, finished fourth in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes on Aug. 15. McPeek said the Uncle Mo filly will not run in the Oaks because she wouldn't have a real chance to win. McPeek said she instead will target the Remington Park Oaks (G3) on Sept. 27.

“I think she needs to drop down,” McPeek said. “She runs OK, I think she’s a great Grade 2, Grade 3 type filly, which is not bad. We took a couple of shots at a high level, and she’s a nice filly. She ran respectable.”

Another filly trained by McPeek who could run in the Kentucky Oaks is Impeccable Style, at No. 18 on the leaderboard. She hasn’t worked since finishing second in the Indiana Oaks (G3) on July 8, and McPeek said a sale might be in the works for the filly.

“I don’t see her running” in the Kentucky Oaks, McPeek said. “You can take her off the list.”

Also a daughter of Uncle Mo, Impeccable Style is owned by Gainesway Stable (Anthony Beck), Catalyst Stable, Paul McInnis, Patty Slevin LLC and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek).

That leaves the winner of the Alabama, Swiss Skydiver, who most likely will run in the Oaks, though she also is eligible for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby. McPeek praised the Daredevil filly's trip in the Alabama and the ride of her jockey,Tyler Gaffalione, who could ride her again in the Oaks. Gaffalione replaced regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. in the Alabama.

“We talked about going the first half in :48,” McPeek said. “He hit that spot-on, so he did do a very good job.”