2023 Kentucky Derby: McPeek not in a hurry to decide about Sun Thunder

Kenny McPeek can keep everybody else jammed up if he wants. There’s no looming timetable as to when the veteran trainer must decide whether Sun Thunder will be entered in the May 6 Kentucky Derby, and he can take pretty much all the time he needs.

Sun Thunder, a no-factor fourth by 6 1/2 lengths as a 13-1 shot last Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is in the Derby if so desired. Owned by R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine, the son of uber-sire Into Mischief is 14th on the list of qualifiers with 54 points, safely above the 20-horse cutoff.

The connections of numerous other would-be Derby runners have an interest in what is decided, as there’s a logjam on the bubble. Hopefuls such as Skinner (45) and Cyclone Mischief (45), along with several more horses with 40 points, will need defections to make the race. One of those is Disarm, who will run Saturday in the Lexington Stakes (20-8-6-4-2) in an attempt to come in the back door.

“I’ll discuss our status soon with the owners,” McPeek said early Wednesday from Churchill Downs. “I do believe the partnership’s inclination is to run.”

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Sun Thunder has earned Beyers between 81 and 89 in each of his last four starts. Brian Hernandez Jr. or Florent Geroux would have the mount, said McPeek.

Sun Thunder, he said, “definitely would be a fringe horse” in the Derby. “He’s a horse that’ll get a lot of ground, but he’d need some sort of setup. He’ll get the distance, but he needs to show that he’s faster, for sure.”

Derby entries will be drawn the Monday before the race, May 1.

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