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4.1.2002
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Photo By: Rick Schmitt
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Starlight Stable's Harlan's Holiday (above) took in the surroundings outside trainer Ken McPeek's barn on the backside of Churchill Downs after a routine gallop on Apr. 1. The winner of the this year's $1 million Florida Derby (GI), Harlan's Holiday, a top contender for the May 4 Kentucky Derby (GI), is scheduled to make his next start in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) on Apr. 13 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. |
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McPeek Trio Arrives at Churchill Downs
April 1, 2002
By John Asher
Kentucky Derby Headlines:
- McPeek Trio Arrives at Churchill Downs
- Valenzuela To Ride Mayakovsky
- Maryland's Magic Weisner Romps Again
MIDWEST (Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Arkansas) -- The big three
horses in trainer Ken McPeek's talented group of 3-year-olds are
settling in to familiar surroundings following their Sunday arrival at
the trainer's base at Churchill Downs.
Starlight Stable's Florida Derby (GI) winner Harlan's Holiday and Select Stable's Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Repent and Kentucky
Oaks (GI) contender Take Charge Lady are back in their stalls at Barn 10 on
the Churchill Downs backside. The horses arrived at the Louisville
track on Sunday morning following a trip from Florida, their training
base over the winter.
All three horses have a prep race on their schedules before
their expected competition on the first weekend in May at Churchill
Downs. Repent will run this weekend in the Illinois Derby (GII) at
Sportsman's Park, Harlan's Holiday will start in the Toyota Blue Grass
(GI) at Keeneland on April 13, and Take Charge Lady will attempt to
continue a perfect 3-year-old campaign in the Ashland Stakes (GI) on Apr. 6 at
Keeneland.
McPeek said his trio shipped well and he believes that, when the
Derby and Oaks roll around, they will benefit from their "home field"
advantage.
"I think it's a big advantage," McPeek said. "You don't have to
worry about them not handling the track. or the surroundings. I've got
no adapting to do at all. This is home."
All three of McPeek's horses took a break from training after
competing in the Fall Meet at Churchill Downs, where Harlan's Holiday
won the Iroqouis (GIII), Repent took the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), and
Take
Charge Lady finished second to Belterra in the Golden Rod (GII). McPeek
believes that break has been a critical element of their success on the
road to the Derby and Oaks.
"We turned them all out for a month after they completed their
2-year-old campaigns and I think it helped all three of them," he said.
"It helped the filly more than any of them."
Speaking of the filly, McPeek said some last-second arm-twisting
prompted Select Stable's Jerry Bach to write a check for $6,000 make
Take Charge Lady a late nominee for the Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple
Crown.
"She is being pointed toward the Kentucky Oaks and probably
would consider looking at the Derby only if something were to happen
with Repent," said McPeek. "If she were to run huge races in the
Ashland and Oaks, we could take a look at the Preakness
with her and the late nomination allows us that opportunity."
California-based Fonz's will fly to the Midwest in his bid to
earn a shot at the Kentucky Derby. The stretch-running son of Out Of
Place will run in Saturday's Illinois Derby (GII) at Sportsman's Park.
Fonz's, who is trained by David La Croix, finished second to
Siphonic in the Hollywood Futurity (GI) in December. He finished fifth
to Came Home in the San Rafael (GII) at Santa Anita in his only start
this year.
WEST (California) -- Gotham (GIII) winner Mayakovsky will stay home in
California to run in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (GI) and trainer
Patrick Biancone said that the resurgent Pat Valenzuela will get the
riding call.
Edgar Prado is the regular rider of Mayakovsky, but he had a
prior commitment to ride Bowman's Band in the Oaklawn Handicap on the
same day.
Valenzuela, 39, won the Kentucky Derby and Santa Anita Derby
aboard Sunday Silence in 1989 and also won the Santa Anita race on Codex
in 1980. Recent years have seen the former star move in and out of drug
rehabilitation programs, but Valenzuela is riding regularly this year at
Santa Anita. He currently ranks sixth in the Santa Anita jockey
standings.
"I see him as a force at rest," Biancone said. "I mean to say,
since he has come back, he's riding like he's 22 years old again. He's
like a rookie with experience."
Others expected to run in the Santa Anita Derby include likely
favorite Came Home, U S S Tinosa, Easy Grades, Danthebluegrassman,
Lusty Latin, Jack's Silver and Tracemark.
The Thoroughbred Corp's Officer, one of last year's leading
2-year-olds, areturns from a long break next Sunday in the 6 1/2-furlong
Zany Tactics Stakes for California-breds at Santa Anita.
It will mark the first start for Bob Baffert-trained Officer
since a distant third-place finish to Siphonic in the Hollywood
Futurity, the colt's third consecutive loss after he had opened his
racing career with five straight wins. Baffert believes Officer is
ready for a big effort in his first run off the shelf.
"He could probably start from behind the gate and still win,"
said Baffert. "But they won't just send us the check, so he'll have to
earn it."
Officer is 5-1-1 in eight races, with his most notable win
coming in the Belmont Futurity (GI).
Valenzuela appears to have also picked up the mount on another
possible Kentucky Derby contender. Trainer Paul Assinesi said that his
Holdthehelm is a likely starter in next week's Arkansas Derby (GII) and
that Valenzuela would ride if the colt makes the trip to Oaklawn Park.
EAST (New York, Maryland) -- Magic Weisner continued his domination
Maryland-based 3-year-olds with a romp in Saturday's $50,000 Private
Terms Stakes at Laurel Park. His latest win was his most emphatic and
may indicate that he is improving as the spring classics like the
Kentucky Derby and the Preakness draw near.
The Maryland-bred son of Ameri Valay repelled the bid of
runner-up The Sewickley Kid in the stretch and drew away to an easy 4
1/4-length victory under jockey Phil Teator. Magic Weisner, who is
owned, trained and was bred by Nancy Alberts, covered the 1 1/8-mile
distance in 1:51.15 as he scored his fifth consecutive victory and
completed a sweep of Laurel Park's important races for 2-year-old and
3-year-old males.
"This is such a dream come true," said Alberts. "I really feel
like I am going into the spring with a very maturing, fit and sound
horse."
If he gets to the Kentucky Derby, Magic Weisner will provide one
of the best stories in the race.
He is the son of a mare named Jazema, a daughter of Kentucky
Derby winner Bold Forbes whose legs were so crooked that Alberts was
able to purchase her as a castoff for $1. Alberts' careful handling of
Jazema allowed her to run 68 times and score 14 victories over a
five-year racing career. Magic Weisner is the second foal produced
Alberts' $1 mare.
The victory in the Private Terms improved Magic Weisner's record
to 6-1-0 in nine races. Alberts said her gelding's next start will come
in the $125,000 Federico Tesio at Pimlico on April 20.
SOUTHEAST (Florida) -- Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) winner Equality, who will
use Saturday's $250,000 Aventura Stakes at Gulfstream Park as a final
prep for the Kentucky Derby, continues to train sharply as he makes his
way along the road to Churchill Downs.
The Graham Motion-trained colt worked five furlongs in :59.20,
the fastest of 16 works at the distance.
"He's become a much more aggressive horse now and that's what
you want to see," Motion said. "He ran a big race at Tampa Bay. He's
also ran a big race here at Gulfstream in his previous start and that's
why I'm staying home with him and running him in the Aventura.
The distance of the Aventura's inaugural running is 1
1/16-miles.
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