Fighting Seabee sidelined, but McPeek has stakes winners on the way back

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While several of his best horses are nearing their 2020 debuts, trainer Kenny McPeek has shelved his top Kentucky Derby hope after Fighting Seabee recently suffered a minor injury in training at the Summerfield training center.

“He was marginal for the Derby anyway, but you never know how they might develop,” McPeek said. “He’ll be out at least 60 days.”

Fighting Seabee was seventh at 9-1 in the Nov. 30 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in his final start at 2 after finishing second in the Street Sense.

“He might just be a grass horse anyway, so we’ll probably look that way when he comes back,” McPeek said.

Fighting Seabee won his maiden and the Grade 3 With Anticipation on turf last summer.

Meanwhile, Grade 1 winner Restless Rider had her first breeze since recovering from a quarter crack and is being pointed to the Feb. 15 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park, where McPeek has most of his accomplished older horses stabled this winter. McPeek also is spending considerable time with his younger horses at Summerfield, his newly acquired training center that once was part of the former Padua Stables property in Ocala, Fla.

Restless Rider, unraced since finishing 13th in the Kentucky Oaks in May, was entered at Keeneland in October when her latest setback occurred.

“She missed more time than we wanted, maybe three weeks, but she’s going good again,” McPeek said.

Also, Signalman, winner of the 2018 Kentucky Jockey Club, returned to the work tab for the first time since finishing second to Mr. Money in the Matt Winn at Churchill in June when he breezed three furlongs Saturday at Gulfstream.

“We might bring him back on the grass when he’s ready in four or five weeks,” McPeek said.

Motu, second to Finite in the Golden Rod at Churchill in late November, is being pointed to the Suncoast Stakes next month at Tampa Bay Downs, McPeek said, adding that Swiss Skydiver and Miss Important also are being considered for that Feb. 8 race.

“The timing is good for all of them,” he said.