Crazy Beautiful continues McPeek's roll in Southern California

ARCADIA, Calif. – Crazy Beautiful won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Sunday, continuing a remarkable span of success in California in recent years for Kentucky-based trainer Ken McPeek.

Since the start of 2017, McPeek has won four graded stakes from five starters at Santa Anita, including the Grade 1 Beholder Mile in March with Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020.

It will not be long before McPeek has another West Coast starter.

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McPeek is making plans for a return to California for the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1, perhaps with Swiss Skydiver or Envoutante, the 2-5 winner of the $150,000 Shawnee Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Swiss Skydiver and Envoutante may race before the Clement Hirsch, which is run for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. The race offers a berth to the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar, which could attract runners from other states.

“I’d like to think we’d bring something for the Clement Hirsch,” McPeek said.

McPeek has yet to win at Del Mar, though he has only had six starters at the San Diego-area track and none since Princess Warrior finished eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2017.

Crazy Beautiful, owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds III, is scheduled to be flown to Kentucky in the middle of the week, and could have her next start in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks, a $200,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at Indiana Grand on July 7.

In the $196,000 Summertime Oaks, Crazy Beautiful closed from third in a field of four under Mike Smith to take the lead in the final furlong, pulling clear to win the race at 1 1/16 miles by 1 3/4 lengths over the previously unbeaten Soothsay.

The Summertime Oaks was Crazy Beautiful’s first start since a troubled 10th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on April 30.

“Timing-wise, this race was good for her,” McPeek said. “I loved the way Mike rode her. It was a good run.

“The Kentucky Oaks is a throwout race. It was bumper cars in there. She didn’t get into the race and make a run.”

Crazy Beautiful won the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in March.