Ken McPeek

Shimming Allure finished a credible fourth in a very competitive renewal of Keeneland's GI Alcibiades S. last month, and found the step back to easier company to her liking, taking the Tempted S. at Aqueduct Sunday. Not particularly hurried out of gate 1, the filly found herself near the back as longshot Belle's Blue Bell (Girvin) cut out respectable opening splits in :23.03 and :46.48. Flanked by Perfectly Wicked from the back, Shimmering Allure picked up the tempo markedly exiting the backstretch and swung out several paths wide turning for...

The fall isn't really, The Fall, until Keeneland arrives. Well, get your steaming pot of burgoo ready, because it's here. Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6, the meet's opening day at the Old Keene Farm is upon us and the 10-race card includes a trio of graded stakes which all have Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' implications. Leading off is the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the Main Track. Suitors for the GI Breeders' Cup Qatar Racing Sprint include MSW Bango...

5th-DEL, $38K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 2:30 p.m. AMERICAN WAR HERO (Constitution) will make his first start for owner Boardshorts Racing. The dark bay colt brought $165,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale in July before running a furlong at 10.1 during the breeze show and then pinhooked for $625,000 at the OBS March Sale. The Graham Motion trainee is out of GISP Libby's Tail (Tiz Wonderful) who also produced a yearling colt by Improbable that went for $135,000 at the Keeneland September Sale to Michael Rullo. TJCIS PPS 5th-CD, $120K,...

West Point's Terry Finley, leading trainer Kenny McPeek and others have been announced as speakers for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Pedigree & Conformation Clinic on Monday, Oct. 23 at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, Kentucky. The day-long clinic will take place on the first day of Fasig Tipton's Kentucky October Yearling sale. Attendees will learn insights on different aspects of Thoroughbred auctions, bloodstock, pedigree, and conformation analysis, and more from industry professionals as well as enjoy a day at the sales. The topics and speakers at the clinic include: •...

5th-BAQ, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 3:10 p.m. MALARCHUK (Nyquist) makes his debut on grass around two turns for owners Richard Schermerhorn, Jeff Drown and Michael J. Ryan and trainer Chad Brown at the Big A. The $535,000 OBS April Sale graduate, previously a $145,000 RNA as a FTKOCT yearling, is the third to race out of Seize the Ring (Tiznow). Malarchuk's dam is out of Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Catch the Ring (Seeking the Gold), who is responsible for another north of the border champion in Catch the Thrill...

The TDN sat down with WinStar Farm President and CEO Elliott Walden for the next installment in this ongoing series presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association (CBA). Through conversations with buyers and sellers, the series looks to contribute to the discussion on radiograph findings and their impact on racetrack success. Elliott Walden had already enjoyed Classic success as a trainer with 1998 GI Belmont S. winner Victory Gallop when he joined WinStar Farm in 2002. He has served as CEO of the operation-- which has produced success...

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....