Frosted Departure, Defining Purpose give McPeek 2-year-old sweep
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Kenny McPeek swept both 2-year-old stakes on a four-win day Saturday at Oaklawn Park when Frosted Departure fought off Two Eagles River for a head win in the $150,000 Renaissance and Defining Purpose was all alone at the wire in the $150,000 Year’s End.
McPeek also won a pair of maiden special weight races with Sun Thunder, who unleashed a sweeping move to win at a mile and Dear Lady, who was strong through the stretch sprinting.
The barn’s success came on a full card of 2-year-old races in a new event at Oaklawn. An overcast morning gave way to sunshine for the first race, and an estimated crowd of 16,500 enjoyed the proceedings on New Year’s Eve. Handle from all sources was more than $6.6 million, according to Oaklawn.
“We’re lucky we’ve got a lot of clients that bring us young horses,” McPeek said. “It’s great when it all comes together. Just a marvelous day by the whole team.”
Defining Purpose ($6) was a 5 1/4-length winner of the Year’s End, which was for 2-year-old fillies at a mile. She tracked a three-way speed duel, was angled to the outside into the final turn, moved past those rivals and went on to win the race that ended at the sixteenth pole in a sharp 1:39.23.
David Cabrera was aboard Defining Purpose, who came into the race off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Golden Rod on Nov. 26 at Churchill. The start came following a six-length maiden special weight win at two turns Nov. 17, also at Churchill.
“We asked a lot of her, ran her back quickly at Churchill in the fall,” McPeek said. “We were able to space this race really well, plenty of time. She moved forward pretty dramatically, which was our hope.”
McPeek said Defining Purpose is a candidate for the 3-year-old filly series at Oaklawn.
“It might be a good path to get to the Oaks,” he said.
Defining Purpose is a daughter of Cross Traffic who races for her breeder, Colette Marie VanMatre, as well as Magdalena Racing and James Ball.
Unifying finished second in the Year’s End, while it was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third to Take Charge Briana.
Defining Purpose has now won 2 of 4 starts and earned $157,088.
Frosted Departure ($21.20) broke well in the Renaissance and tracked Count de Monet through an opening quarter in 21.95 seconds. The eventual winner was angled off the rail by jockey Francisco Arrieta through a half-mile in 45.38 seconds and was later engaged by Two Eagles River, the favorite who broke last of all. The horses battled to the wire, with Frosted Departure covering six furlongs on a track upgraded from good to fast in 1:10.91.
“He ran super,” McPeek said. “He drew inside this time, which last time he was outside. I think he runs a little better when he keeps his face clear. He was able to do that. A path opened for him.”
McPeek also said he preferred a fast track for Frosted Departure compared to the wet one the horse had one start prior, when he was a close fourth in the Advent Stakes won by Count de Monet on Dec. 9 at Oaklawn. Count de Monet finished fourth in the Renaissance.
Frosted Departure is a son of Frosted who races for the partnership of C and H Diamond Racing and Magdalena Racing. He was winning his first stakes race and now has a career mark of three wins from nine starts for earnings of $246,711.
McPeek said he is inclinded to keep Frosted Departure sprinting at this point in time.
Racing resumes Sunday with the $250,000 Smarty Jones, a Kentucky Derby points race in which McPeek will saddle Denington and Ten Days Later.
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