This spring Kenny McPeek grew to become the primary coach since Ben Jones in 1952 to win the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) in the identical yr with Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan , respectively.
He’s extremely regarded for locating racehorses at an affordable value on the gross sales. He’s accountable for discovering horses corresponding to two-time Horse of the Yr Curlin , Thorpedo Anna , Harlan’s Vacation, Daddy’s Lil Darling, Swiss Skydiver , Take Cost Woman , and many others.
For classes six by means of eight of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 15-17, McPeek has been the main purchaser. He purchased eight yearlings Tuesday for $1,057,000, bringing his totals for the sale to 26 yearlings and $4,887,000, with a mean of $187,962.
“I have been actually happy,” McPeek stated. “We have been capable of accomplish a variety of good enterprise previously few days, and we’ll have just a few extra earlier than the sale is over. We simply love coming to the Keeneland September Sale. It is a variety of work, a bit exhausting typically, however there’s a variety of reward on the opposite aspect of it.”
The Keeneland September Sale is a protracted course of, and McPeek stated he could not do it with out the assistance of Dominic Brennan, one in every of his assistant trainers, who helps him short-list. McPeek and Brennan have labored the sale collectively for 30 years.
“Dominic has grow to be to us like Batman to Robin. He is an enormous assist and has been for a protracted, very long time.”
McPeek bought Hip 1863, a Maxfield colt, on the Keeneland September Yearling Sale
McPeek is thought for locating nice physicals, and this sale has been no completely different. He has bought yearlings by a wide range of stallions, together with 4 by first-crop yearling sire Maxfield .
“I believe (Maxfield) has actually stamped them, all of them seem like they have velocity and sophistication,” he stated. “And I am actual large on the hind leg and steadiness, and he is actually impressed me as a younger stallion.
“I used to be really the underbidder on the one which Donato Lanni purchased (Hip 1108) that introduced $575,000.”
McPeek has additionally been impressed by the yearlings of Rock Your World . He stated bodily they’ve stood out, and he’s an enormous fan of Sweet Experience and that his affect is constant by means of his sons.
“Independence Corridor, I believe is a very good first-crop stallion. I believe between Independence Corridor, Maxfield, Rock Your World, these are those at this stage which have piqued my curiosity. We weren’t looking for these, it simply occurs to be the physicals that we ended up buying,” stated McPeek.
“As soon as I see a horse that I am actually interested in, then I take a look at the web page. After which I attempt to determine the place it is coming from. What am I taking a look at? Am I taking a look at a turf horse, dust horse, sprinter, router?
“I believe there’s a methodology to the insanity on how they’re bred and the way they’re made, so that you wish to see a sample.”
McPeek didn’t work E book 1 or E book 2 attributable to conflicts, together with being at Saratoga Race Course for Thorpedo Anna’s exercise forward of her begin within the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing this weekend.
“She is only a actually particular filly to be round,” he stated. “She was only a modest value, had all of the elements in the appropriate place, and he or she’s simply the queen.”
Thorpedo Anna price simply $40,000 when McPeek picked her out on the Fasig-Tipton October Sale in 2022; she has profession earnings of greater than $2 million.
“I’ve made a profession out of working the again books. After I was a younger coach, I used to only work Books 5, 6, and seven (after they had E book 7). If you discover a good horse in these again books, I do assume it sharpens your eye rather a lot to organize you for the sooner books,” stated McPeek.
“I’ve a very robust middle- and lower-market consumer base, I imply actually robust. I wish to name them my basis. I’ll proceed to work onerous for these folks. These are the people who helped me get to the place I’ve gotten. I’ll proceed to attempt to discover good horses for them.”
Day 8 Sale Numbers and Figures
A filly by Nyquist topped the eighth session of the sale Sept. 17. Legion Bloodstock, agent for Icon Racing, went to $375,000 for Hip 2611, consigned by St George Gross sales, agent.
The filly was bred in Kentucky by Pursuit of Success. She is out of the Superior Once more mare Elevate the Flag , a half sister to champion 2-year-old and a number of grade 1 winner Storm Flag Flying.
“She is an excellent bodily by an excellent stallion (Nyquist). A giant pedigree, arguably one of many higher pedigrees round,” stated Archie St George of St George Gross sales.
“(The market) is excellent, it is very vibrant. The horses are promoting properly, there’s a variety of motion within the again ring, and we have been very busy within the barns. From high to backside it has been good,” stated St George.
The typical for the eighth session was $72,823, with a gross of $20,827,500. The median was $55,000, as 286 horses modified palms on the final day of E book 4, from the 363 supplied. Seventy-seven failed to satisfy their reserve, leading to an RNA charge of 21.2%.
Taylor Made was the main consignor with 32 head offered, grossing $2,540,000. McKinzie led the sire standings for the second day in a row with 11 yearlings offered for a complete of $1,560,000.
The gross was down barely from final yr’s $21,786,500, however the common and median rose from $70,279 and $50,000, respectively. A complete of 310 horses have been offered.
“I believe we have got an opportunity for this to be our highest-grossing yr within the final 20 years of Keeneland September. As we speak particularly, it is simply been actually robust, the market simply retains rolling,” stated Mark Taylor, president and CEO of Taylor Made.
