Kentucky Derby: McPeek hopes to complete personal Triple Crown with King Fury

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – His two victories in Triple Crown events have come in unconventional ways, so why can’t Ken McPeek make it a full set?

After winning the 2002 Belmont Stakes with Sarava, a 70-1 shot, McPeek won the 2020 Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver. As the 2021 Kentucky Derby draws near, McPeek is hoping to complete a personal Triple Crown with King Fury, who looks like he’ll have to make the May 1 race off the also-eligibles list. The Derby is limited to 20 starters, with an AE list of as many of four horses being maintained.

“We’ll enter as an AE, if that’s what it comes to,” McPeek said this week in his Churchill Downs office. “Hopefully, there’ll be a spot for us by entry day and we can be part of the draw, but, yes, that’s our plan.”

As of Wednesday, the connections of the California colts Dream Shake and Get Her Number had yet to fully commit to running in the Derby. They have points preference over the would-be also-eligibles, led by Hozier (No. 21) and King Fury (No. 22). Churchill officials announced early Wednesday that trainer Bob Baffert informed them Hozier is back in the mix after initially being eliminated following the colt’s last-place finish in the April 10 Arkansas Derby.

Hozier, owned by a seven-way partnership, has won 1 of 4 starts, with a runner-up finish at 18-1 in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn being his best race. Baffert, who with six wins is tied for most victories in the Derby with Ben A. Jones, already has Medina Spirit in the field.

The next two on the points list are Keepmeinmind (No. 23) and Starrininmydreams (No. 24).

Of course, there’s always the chance that late defections can occur. Entries will be drawn Tuesday, with final scratches due prior to when advance wagering opens the Friday morning before the Derby.

However this process unfolds, McPeek is thrilled with how powerfully King Fury closed in winning the April 10 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland in his 3-year-old debut. Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., the Curlin colt earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. He drew off by 2 3/4 lengths in his first start since he ended 2020 with defeats in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Kentucky Jockey Club, both in November. King Fury was a $950,000 yearling purchase for Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm.

McPeek said that if King Fury doesn’t get into the Derby, he will run in the Preakness on May 15 at Pimlico.

“My gosh, he’s come back good – better than ever,” he said. “He’s a really good horse and he’s sitting on a big one, and he’ll handle the mile and a quarter. I think I may’ve run him one too many times last fall. Now I’m wishing I hadn’t run him in the Breeders’ Cup – it took the shine off of him. He was a little tanked by the end of the year.”

Adding a Kentucky Derby to his Belmont and Preakness wins would cap what has been a remarkable career for the self-made McPeek. An Arkansas native who grew up in Lexington, Ky., he ran his first winner in 1985, not long after graduating from the University of Kentucky. He has gone on to win 21 Grade 1 events while amassing nearly $90 million in stable earnings.

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His résumé, however, has a few holes he wouldn’t mind plugging. Not only has he never won the Derby with six starters – his best result came with Tejano Run, the 1995 runner-up, who was McPeek’s first starter in the race – but he also has been shut out in both the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup. He’s had three seconds in the Oaks, the latest coming last year with Swiss Skydiver, while he can only laugh and shake his head at the immense frustration the Breeders’ Cup has given him – 36 starts with 6 seconds and 10 thirds.

“I’ve had horses run huge in all these big races and just got beat,” said McPeek, who has Crazy Beautiful in the Oaks this year. “That’s the way it goes, I guess.”

King Fury is among the many Derby prospects scheduled to undergo their final pre-race breezes this coming weekend. The Louisville weather has been an issue in recent days – it actually snowed overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, and there is a 90 percent chance of rain for Saturday, when many works are scheduled. A scheduled Wednesday work by O Besos was delayed to Thursday or Friday by trainer Greg Foley because of the sloppy conditions.

Fortunately, dry and warm conditions are expected for a few days thereafter, with a low-80s high in the forecast for early next week.