Ken McPeek

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale gained momentum throughout its opening session, ending with figures ahead of last year's opening session after a brisk evening of just 100 catalogued head. A colt by Violence brought the night's top price when Chris Baccari, bidding alongside trainer Ken McPeek, went to $380,000 on behalf of country singer Toby Keith. The yearling was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. A total of 53 yearlings sold Sunday for $5,999,000. The average of $113,189 was up 5% from last year's...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings failed to live up to its lofty 2022 levels, but concluded Tuesday evening with solid numbers and a filly from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic leading the way when selling for $475,000 to Alex and Jo Ann Lieblong. "We had a very solid start to the 2023 yearling sales marketplace," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "I think we all recognized that we were coming off a euphoric 2022 yearling marketplace that saw pretty significant increases across...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton July Sale of Selected Yearlings will open the yearling sales season Tuesday in Lexington, with bidding slated to begin at Newtown Paddocks at 10 a.m. The 370 catalogued offerings kick off with a selection of 109 yearlings by first-crop sires. Activity at the sales barns was brisk throughout the weekend and continued to be strong on a cloudless, sunny morning in Lexington Monday. "We are into day three of showing," said Kerry Cauthen outside of his Four Star Sales consignment barn. "The first two days...

Fan favorite Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy), a 13-time winner of over $1.8 million in a career that spanned nine seasons at the racetrack, has been retired and will take up residence at Old Friends Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, according to a series of tweets from Allison Caldwell, the wife of trainer Danny Caldwell. Rated R Superstar began his career in the barn of Ken McPeek and was third to Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway) in the 2015 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity before finishing unplaced behind Nyquist (Uncle Mo) in the...

Lucky Seven Stable's Rattle N Roll (Connect), winner of this term's GIII Ben Ali S. Apr. 22 and GIII Pimlico Special S. May 19, is the horse to beat returning on short notice in Saturday's GIII Blame S., the featured race on "Stephen Foster Preview Day" at Churchill Downs. The $1-million GI Stephen Foster will now be held four weeks later at Ellis Park. The Ken McPeek-trained 2021 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner will face seven rivals from his rail draw, including the re-opposing Ben Ali second and third-place finishers...

Lucky Seven Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Smile Happy (Runhappy), impressive winner of the GII Alysheba S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs May 5, will make his next start in the $1-million GI Stephen Foster S. July 1, trainer Ken McPeek told the track's media office Friday. Eighth in last year's GI Kentucky Derby, the $185,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate returned from a 10-month absence with an impressive allowance victory at Oaklawn Park Mar. 16 and was a good third in the GIII Oaklawn Mile Apr....

Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic), upset winner of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 7, will ship to Churchill Downs either this coming Monday or Tuesday to prepare for a start in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 5. "Defining Purpose came to us in late spring last year," said trainer Ken McPeek, who was unsaddling an Ashland winner for the third time in his career. "She is the first horse I have received from Collete Vanmatre. She told me to see what I thought of her and...

Defining Purpose (f, 3, Cross Traffic--Defining Hope, by Strong Hope) lit up the tote board at 20-1 to upset Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. on opening day at Keeneland. The gray sat a dream trip in a stalking second behind a longshot leader through fractions of :23.62 and :47.25. She turned up the heat rounding the far turn, gained command at the top of the stretch, and, after enjoying a clear lead down the lane, held the rallying duo of previously unbeaten and favored Punchbowl (Uncle Mo) and 'TDN...

When it comes to ageing, as the wiseguys remind us, it's when you're over the hill that you begin to pick up speed. And it's true: the magnolia trees where I live are coming into blossom, and I swear that each passing year compresses both the duration of those brief candles and, above all, the intervals in between. The inference is a dismal one: time flies when you've had your fun. So on a weekend when we temporarily suspend our search for the adolescent Thoroughbred maturing sufficiently to beat his...

8th-OP, $106K, OC 50k/N2X, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 5:22 p.m. The Ken McPeek-trained duo of 'TDN Rising Star' SMILE HAPPY (Runhappy) and CREATIVE MINISTER (Creative Cause) kick off their 4-year-old seasons at Oaklawn Park Thursday. Smile Happy, winner of the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at two and runner-up as the favorite in last year's GI Toyota Blue Grass S., makes his first start since finishing eighth in the GI Kentucky Derby. The 2-1 morning-line favorite gets first-time Lasix while facing seven rivals here. Creative Minister, a respectable third in last...

    In this new semi-weekly series, the TDN takes a look at the notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column, Feb. 4-10, is highlighted by the victory of upwardly mobile mare Quattroelle (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the GIII Megahertz S. on Saturday.   No 'Quat'er Given In Megahertz Tally-Ho Stud's rising stallion star Mehmas has gone from strength to strength with his progeny, and his freshly minted 5-year-old daughter Quattroelle became his 12th graded/group winner from just three crops to race when running out a half-length...

Curly Jack (Good Magic) looks to return to winning ways at a venue at which he is already two-for-two in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs. A debut winner at this oval in June, he was off the board in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. in July, but missed by just a head in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. in August. Rallying to victory in this oval's GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 17, the bay was fifth at odds of 55-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland...