Kenny McPeek

The runner-up from the GII Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, Right to Party (Constitution) was scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby by state regulatory veterinarians on Friday morning and Robusta (Accelerate) will take his place in the Churchill Downs starting gate on Saturday. Trainer Kenny McPeek said he was upset with the scratch itself and the timing, as well as what he feels is a growing trend of regulatory scratches in Kentucky. "They said he [Right to Party] was lame all week." said McPeek. "Why didn't they call it before...

Trainer Brad Cox's trio of Kentucky Derby hopefuls--Commandment (Into Mischief), Fulleffort (Liam's Map) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' Further Ado (Gun Runner)--highlighted a bustling morning at Churchill Downs a week out from Derby 152. Working during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects, the Cox trio was joined by Chester Broman's Right to Party (Constitution) (five furlongs in 1:01.20) for trainer Kenny McPeek. For Team Cox the group included Wathnan Racing's Commandment (five furlongs in 1:01.40 in company with the 4-year-old...

It truly is spring in Kentucky when the penultimate preps for the marquee event in May start rolling out, and so was the story Saturday morning as Albus (Yaupon) and Right to Party (Constitution) led the work tab for GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Churchill Downs. The top two from last month's GII Wood Memorial Stakes both went out Saturday morning with winner Albus spotted first for trainer Riey Mott. He breezed four panels in :49 flat (35/65) for his first move over the track since arriving at the venue...

Looking every bit the 3-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, Renegade (Into Mischief) strode out of paddock schooling with top marks shortly before noon on Thursday. The colt had that, 'Take the test, don't let the test take you' sort of look. Renegade's trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Hot Springs track's signature race five times, but it hasn't been since 2018 when Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) took the prize. Of course, that hero was campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, who happen...

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.--Bearing witness to Thoropedo Anna (Fast Anna) putting on a show down the stretch at Oaklawn Park in the 2024 edition of the GII Fantasy Stakes before she became a champion was a special moment in her career. The track will honor the now-retired mare on Friday with a bobblehead giveaway, which in no uncertain terms equals immortality. On Friday in Hot Springs, the latest batch of 3-year-old fillies will take to the track in the Fantasy and chase a cut of the $1 million purse, plus a...

It's been three weeks since our last GI Kentucky Oaks Top 10, and a lot has happened. But no one stepped up with the type of explosive performance that would have shaken up the standings. We've dropped four horses from our original poll. Mythical (St. Patrick's Day) just wasn't good enough in the GIII Forward Gal Stakes. Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) has been injured and has been taken off the Oaks trail. Percy's Bar (Upstart) hasn't had a workout since Jan. 6, which doesn't bode well for her making the...

Taken by the Wind (Rock Your World) remained undefeated and took another step closer to a start in the GI Kentucky Oaks when capturing Saturday's Silverbulletday Stakes at the Fair Grounds. But a day later, what was most on the mind of trainer Kenny McPeek was what he called a "bureaucratic nightmare" that she had to overcome to even make the $150,000 race. The Silverbulletday was Taken by the Wind's first start since she won the Sept. 13 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. McPeek said that she was sidelined not...

Veteran jockey agent Tony Martin has returned from a brief retirement to represent apprentice Jamison Mudd, currently based at Fair Grounds. "I've seen some good ones come, and some good ones go," Martin said. "I think this kid has got a lot of talent." Martin represented Joe Talamo, who captured the Fair Grounds riding title at the 2006-2007 meet and later earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey. "I've been watching [Mudd] since the first weekend he rode at Louisiana Downs and I liked what I saw," Martin said....

There's a certain buzz that comes with welcoming a Kentucky Derby winner to a stallion roster. Bret Jones knows the feeling from when Mage retired to Airdrie Stud in 2024. This year, they're repeating the milestone with Mystik Dan (Goldencents), who arrived at the Midway, Kentucky farm three weeks ago. "We've been totally busy since we announced that we were showing him," said Jones. "Everybody wants to see a Kentucky Derby winner. Breeders are coming away impressed with not only how well he handles everything, but with what a beautifully...

by Steve Sherack & J.N. Campbell DEL MAR, Calif. - A stallion share (2% interest) in leading young sire Not This Time brought $3 million from John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa to top the Keeneland Championship Sale held in the Del Mar paddock Wednesday evening. The share was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones, as Hip 3. In a unique feature of the offering, the buyer receives all income from Not This Time's 2025 breeding season. Not This Time is already the...

The first of six opportunities to bet on Kentucky Derby 152 opens Wednesday, Oct. 29 through Friday, Oct. 31 with Pool 1 of the Future Wager and MGISW Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) headlines the 40 betting choices with 'All Other Colts and Geldings Foaled in 2023' the ever-popular favorite, Churchill Downs announced Monday. Wagering will open Wednesday at noon EDT and will close prior to Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at approximately 6:00pm EDT. Ted Noffey is one of eight likely entrants for the contest and equally likely the horse...

LEXINGTON, KY - Demand continued high right to the very end of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale, which concluded Thursday in Lexington with new records for gross, average and median. Through four sessions, 1,097 horses sold for $71,843,500, dwarfing the previous record gross of $58,575,500 set just last year. The 2025 auction average of $65,491 eclipsed last year's previous record figure of $52,206, while the median of $30,000 broke the record of $25,000 set in 2022. "It was a tremendous success," Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said of the sale....