McPeek talks Derby prospects, other stakes horses
Now points seriously start to ramp up for McPeek on the Derby path. Tiz the Bomb, unraced considering the fact that finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, is established to go in Saturday’s Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner Smile Joyful continues to be on track for the Feb. 19 Risen Star (G2) and Rattle N Roll not long ago returned to the get the job done tab for a probable tilt in the March 12 Tampa Bay Derby (G2).
McPeek is on the quick list of most attained trainers without a Kentucky Derby acquire. He just lately spoke with Horse Racing Country for insights on his quartet of top rated sophomores, moreover a trio of older stakes horses that are slated to return later on this 12 months.
Sprint Assault. Sent off the 3-1 2nd choice in the Southwest gained by favorite Newgrange, Dash Attack raced in mid-pack through and checked in some 7 3/4 lengths behind the winner.McPeek on Wednesday shouldered the blame for the lackluster hard work.
“I’m heading to just take the bullet on that a person,” McPeek mentioned. “I do not feel we did a good career making ready him. We experienced kind of a lazy last breeze likely in. We ended up dodging frozen racetracks and shut racetracks, but I believe I need to have completed a minimal a lot more with him. I feel he was a little shorter. But you know, hindsight is 20/20. In the end it is my accountability. We’ll get it appropriate.”
McPeek additional that other than becoming exhausted, the Munnings colt came out of the Southwest in good get and would most likely wheel back again Feb. 26 in the $1 million Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn. The Rebel offers a full of 80 qualifying details to the Kentucky Derby with 50 heading to the winner.
Tiz the Bomb. The Hit It A Bomb colt drew article 6 in a industry of nine established for the Holy Bull, which awards Kentucky Derby details on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the prime-four finishers. The Holy Bull will be Tiz the Bomb’s very first start out on dirt because breaking his maiden at Ellis Park last July. Adhering to that, he won equally the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile and Bourbon Stakes (G2) at Keeneland prior to the Breeders’ Cup.
McPeek is anticipating a major effort and hard work on Saturday based mostly off Tiz the Bomb’s early morning instruction, which involves 5 breezes considering that Jan. 1.
“Obviously he hasn’t run considering the fact that the Breeders’ Cup, but he’s designed definitely perfectly,” he said. “He had a minimal scratch (soon after the Breeders’ Cup), but we bought that sorted out and he’s really been schooling effectively. I’m really self-assured going into this race.”
Smile Content. Unraced because profitable the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) to make improvements to to 2-for-2, the son of Runhappy has labored four times at Gulfstream Park because Jan. 1. McPeek reiterated the Risen Star at Good Grounds was the very likely return location for Smile Content. The Risen Star awards Kentucky Derby factors on a scale of 50-20-10-5 to the top-4 finishers.
“He has two much more breezes scheduled and he’ll be ready for the race on the 19th,” McPeek reported of the Risen Star.
Smile Joyful, a $185,000 auction invest in as a yearling by Blessed 7 Steady, received his debut going two turns at Keeneland by 5 ½ lengths in late October. Despatched off the 4-1 third preference in the Kentucky Jockey Club, Smile Pleased rallied from off the tempo and drew off to get by 3 ¼ lengths.
In the most up-to-date Kentucky Derby futures in Nevada, Smile Content is trading as the 16-1 beloved.
Rattle N Roll. The son of Hook up was the past of McPeek’s Derby prospective customers to return to the tab with a 3-furlong get the job done on Jan. 22, followed by another three-eighths breeze in a rapid 35.67 seconds last Saturday. He has not began since profitable the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on Oct. 9.
“I’ll most likely shift him up to a half mile this 7 days and I might even perform him and Smile Content together, I haven’t decided nonetheless.” McPeek claimed. “It’s extra than probably he’ll go to the Tampa Bay Derby for his next operate.”
Rattle N Roll was slated to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile next his earn in the Breeders’ Futurity, but had to bypass the race when he made an abscess in his remaining hind hoof.
Also campaigned by Fortunate 7 Steady, Rattle N Roll was a $210,000 auction acquire as a yearling. He broke his maiden in his 3rd get started at Churchill Downs last September prior to winning the Breeders’ Futurity.
King Fury, Envoutante, Insane Gorgeous. All three of these graded-stakes performers from a calendar year ago are getting ready for 2022 campaigns, McPeek mentioned.
“All are back galloping at Gulfstream and are established to have their initially works back this weekend additional than probable,” McPeek said. “Probably not scheduled to operate right until late March or early April.”
Envoutante gained past year’s Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs and closed out her 4-yr-aged campaign with a gain in the Nov. 25 Falls City (G2), also at Churchill Downs. King Fury, who won last year’s Lexington (G2), has not began due to the fact a fifth in the Nov. 26 Clark (G1). Insane Beautiful won previous year’s Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita, Delaware Oaks (G3) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).