McPeek has designs on fourth Alcibiades win

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kenny McPeek was selling himself short when he said he’s had six fillies finish second in the Alcibiades Stakes at his home track, Keeneland. The number is actually seven.

“Is that right?” said McPeek with a laugh. “Well, I know for sure I’ve won it three times.”

McPeek is intent on upping his victory total to four when he sends out favored Restless Rider in what shapes up as a terrific 67th running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Alcibiades, highlight of a 10-race opening-day card at Keeneland. The gray Distorted Humor filly marks the 19th starter for McPeek in this traditional key prep and Win and You’re In event for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“She’s probably got more raw talent than any filly I’ve ever run in this race,” said McPeek. “She’s fast, she’s smart, and she’s got a ton of upside. Everything we’ve done with her all summer has been about getting her ready for these next two races. I’m really excited about all she might do.”

With Brian Hernandez Jr. to ride, Restless Rider, owned by Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables, will break from post 3 in the 1 1/16-mile Alcibiades. The filly will be treated with the diuretic Lasix for the first time after most recently finishing second in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga. Her breakthrough effort came on closing day of the Churchill Downs spring meet, when she won the six-furlong Debutante by 11 1/4 lengths.

“The best thing is I really think she wants two turns,” said McPeek.

There is no lack of capable challengers to Restless Rider. Catherinethegreat, winner of the Grade 3 Schuylverville at Saratoga prior to running ninth in the Spinaway, will be adding blinkers for trainer Mark Casse and owner John Oxley, who teamed to win the 2017 Alcibiades with Heavenly Love.

“We know she’s better than what she showed in the Spinaway,” said Casse.

Julien Leparoux, aboard Heavenly Love for these connections last year, has the call from post 9.

Other contenders include Reflect (post 1, James Graham), who was fifth in the Sorrento and sixth in the Spinaway and has trained for the last several weeks in Kentucky for Keith Desormeaux; Into Trouble (post 6, Jose Ortiz), the unbeaten winner of the Arlington-Washington Lassie; Lady T N T (post 8, Corey Lanerie), a sharp last-out allowance winner at Churchill for trainer Joe Sharp; and California invaders Kim K (post 5, Heriberto Figueroa) and Boujie Girl (post 7, Geovanni Franco).

Live longshots include Meadow Dance (post 2, Florent Geroux) for trainer Brad Cox; Malocchio (post 10, John Velazquez), in from the Delaware Valley for trainer John Servis; and a Maryland invader, Abbo (post 12, Jevian Toledo), based at Fair Hill with trainer Chuck Lawrence.

Meadow Dance comes off a third-place finish in the Arlington-Washington Lassie.

“She needs to take a big step up, but I like the post and I think she wants more ground,” said Cox, who tied for leading trainer here in the spring with 13 wins.

Lawrence and the principal owners of Abbo, Ned Williams and Mike Mattese, considered several other races for the Union Rags filly before settling on the Alcibiades.

“She’s from a nice family and sure looks the part in the mornings,” said Lawrence. “We really think a lot of her.”

The rest of the Alcibiades lineup includes My Wynter Rose, Somewhere, Chocolate Kisses, and Bella Ciao. In all, 16 fillies are entered, although only as many as 14 can start, with Champagne Anyone and Khairiya being relegated to the also-eligibles list.

The Alcibiades, first run in 1952, has been sponsored by Darley since 2003. It goes as the ninth of 10 races on a card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with post time set for 5:30. D. Wayne Lukas is the leading trainer in race history with six wins.

All 1 1/16-mile races on the main track at Keeneland begin and end at what is otherwise the sixteenth pole.