Kenny McPeek

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After last year's Breeders' Cup, it wouldn't have come as much of a surprise to see an unbeaten, Godolphin homebred trained by Brad Cox bringing a perfect record into the GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. But with last year's champion 2-year-old filly Immersive (Nyquist) unraced since capping her brilliant four-for-four season in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies--she's recently returned to training--it will instead be her unbeaten stablemate Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) that will be in the spotlight for those same connections on the first Friday...

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens, a long-time New York based trainer before embarking on a two-year stint in Saudi Arabia, will oversee a fledgling New York-based string for Kenny McPeek, according to the Kentucky-based conditioner who announced the collaboration on X Sunday afternoon. "Jimmy Jerkens is going to be anchoring a New York division for me, starting this week," confirmed McPeek. He explained, "I am based in Kentucky, and I have family here and my history has been with yearlings, working yearling sales, I have been fortunate enough to build my racing...

As first reported by DRF's Nicole Russo, Take Charge Milady (Take Charge Indy) is a question mark for next week's GI Kentucky Oaks after she developed a foot abscess and the team continues to try to get it squared away before the looming deadline. Entries for the Kentucky Oaks, set for May 2, were taken Saturday morning with post position being drawn later in the day. According to trainer Kenny McPeek, the entry was submitted, and the plan will be to wait and see what kind of week it turns...

Five Kentucky Derby hopefuls were on track Saturday morning during the special training period for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs, but one, GISW Tappan Street (Into Mischief), has been withdrawn from the big race with an injury. As reported early Saturday morning, the son of Into Mischief had just completed a five furlong breeze when regular rider Luis Saez felt that 'something was off' afterwards. X-rays back at the barn revealed a condylar fracture, and while trainer Brad Cox reports it is not a major injury, it will...

Tappan Street (Into Mischief), the winner of the Mar. 29 GI Florida Derby, will miss the Kentucky Derby after suffering a condylar fracture to his right front leg, according to trainer Brad Cox. The colt is owned by WinStar Farm LLC, CHC, Inc. and Cold Press Racing. Tappan Street worked five furlongs in :59.60 on Saturday morning, and Cox told the Louisville Courier Journal that jockey Luis Saez felt something was off after the work. The colt had X-rays back at the barn. "It's nothing major I don't believe at...

In the TDN's new Breeders' Cup Breakthrough series, we catch up with the six trainers who celebrated their first win at the Breeders' Cup in 2024. We discuss the road to securing that victory, what the breakout win meant to them personally and what they hope to accomplish from here. We start with Kenny McPeek, who secured a long-awaited Breeders' Cup victory with a filly that is known to her fans as 'The Grizzly.'     It wasn't that he never had a shot. It's just that the shots weren't...

Nothing wrong with planning ahead, and trainer Kenny McPeek is doing just so after the 2024 Horse of the Year came out of her GI Apple Blossom tour-de-force in fine shape, with the GI La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs next on the list for 'Rising Star' MGISW Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna). After receiving a preliminary Beyer of 93 for the romp, McPeek is already eyeballing a seventh victory at the elite level for 'the grizzly bear' and the May 2 Kentucky Oaks undercard feature is circled on the calendar....

Netflix is set to roll out a new six-part series called "Race For the Crown," which will debut on the streaming platform Apr. 22, the service provider said in a press release on Wednesday. From the producers of "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" and "SPRINT," the series offers a window into the world of professional horse racing. With exclusive access to jockeys, trainers, and owners, "Race for the Crown" is intended to be an inside look at the high-stakes quest to win across the Triple Crown. Included are interviews with...

The reigning Horse of the Year 'TDN Rising Star' MGISW Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) has emerged from her tour de force in Saturday's GII Azeri Stakes, and is on track for an anticipated start in the GI Apple Blossom Apr. 12 at Oaklawn Park. Having emerged from her seasonal bow in said local prep for the Grade I marquee race for older fillies and mares, she will return to Fair Grounds early this week where trainer Kenny McPeek said she will train this month and 'maybe' into April before returning...

On the road to Oaklawn Park from his barn at Fair Grounds, Kenny McPeek seemed like a man without a care in the world when reached by phone in his car. And why should he? His Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) will begin her 4-year-old year in the GII Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn and since last seen in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff she has not missed a step. "If she's every bit as good as she was as a 3-year-old I think we'd be satisfied," McPeek...

In many respects, especially on the racetrack, it was a good year for the sport of horse racing. Controversies weren't the thorny issue they normally are and on the racetrack there were dozens of races that were memorable, some of the best we've seen in some time. That was the theme Thursday night at the 54th Eclipse Awards ceremony. The winners, the losers, and those who were there just to take in the show, made sure this would be a feel-good night about people who loved the sport and their...

While Runhappy has always been 'The Man' in Cordell Anderson's book, over the past two months, Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) has quickly become 'The Girl.' Anderson is best known for his steady presence in the sales ring. The Jamaican-born horseman has been a showman at Keeneland for the past 35 years, leading countless horses to seven-figure sales over the decades, but Anderson has also worked for various racing stables throughout his career. He worked for Kenny McPeek about 20 years ago before later moving on to Laura Wohlers of Gallery...