In Sharper Focus: Dothraki Queen

Trainer Ken McPeek certainly isn't afraid to unveil a nice one at the “Pea Patch.”

Last term's dead-heat GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine Rosalind (Broken Vow) debuted with a smart maiden win over the Ellis Park lawn in 2013. Java's War (War Pass), a second out graduate at Ellis in 2012, went on to annex the following term's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. Lawn Ranger (U S Ranger), a debut second at Ellis last summer, went on to capture the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. in Lexington in the fall and also finished a respectable sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. Pangburn (Congrats) followed a debut win at Ellis with a runner-up finish in last September's GII Pocahontas at Churchill Downs. She recently came up just a nose short in the GIII Iowa Oaks.

Dothraki Queen (Pure Prize), owned by McPeek's Magdalena Racing, appears to have a bright future as well after posting a visually impressive come-from-behind first out tally over the Ellis lawn last weekend. The seven-length winner will either head up to Saratoga for the grassy $100,000 P.G. Johnson S. Sept. 3 or await the Pocahontas over the dirt in Louisville later that month, McPeek reports.

“We've been high on her from the beginning,” McPeek commented. “She's been a filly that's just done everything right. I bought her last year as a yearling and she's been very easy. She won't have any trouble on the dirt, either. She's out of a Saint Ballado mare and Pure Prize is really dirt.”

Dothraki Queen was produced by the Saint Ballado mare Sharaiji Blossom, a $575,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Darley. A maiden winner on grass at Nottingham in one of her two career starts as a juvenile overseas, the half-sister to GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Blushing K.D. (Blushing John) and Canadian champion Ambitious Cat (Storm Cat) produced a filly by War Chant in 2014 and a filly by Storm Wolf in 2015. Dothraki Queen was bred in Kentucky by Liberty Road Stables.

McPeek continued, “Over the years, I've had a lot of nice horses break their maidens at Ellis, and that's the most impressive one that I've ever had. I know the time [of 1:44.08 going a mile over a guood going] doesn't scream out at us, but she's a really good filly.”

No stranger to finding value at the yearling sales, McPeek purchased Dothraki Queen for $35,000 at Keeneland September last year. Magdalena Racing recently hit a homerun with another daughter of Pure Prize, 2012 GI Hollywood Starlet S. victress Pure Fun. That $22,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was later re-sold for $1.35 million as a broodmare prospect at the 2013 FTKNOV sale.

“Typical really great hip on her,” McPeek said of Dothraki Queen's appeal as a yearling. “She had a lot of presence. I've had luck with another Pure Prize filly, Pure Fun. This filly may actually be a little better looking than her. Pure Fun was beaten at Ellis several times until she finally got on a good roll. This filly seems to be a little more forward.”

Led by a $135,000 Majesticperfection colt at last week's lively Fasig-Tipton Yearling July Sale, McPeek signed for seven head for a total of $680,000, good for an average of $97,143. The mighty two-time Horse of the Year and promising young sire Curlin ($57,000 yrl '05 KEESEP) and three-time Grade I winner Take Charge Lady ($175,000 yrl '00 FTKJUL) are at the top of McPeek's impressive honor roll. Take Charge Lady, of course, has also enjoyed quite the career as a broodmare, producing champion Will Take Charge, GI Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy, and Charming, the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi.

“I've always believed in spending people's money wisely and not going too overboard on how much to spend,” McPeek concluded. “I do have a pattern and have always been real picky about the hind leg on a yearling. I think if you could find a horse with the right conformation and if everything else comes together, you can have a really great time in this game and actually have a chance to make some money.”