McPeek has two favorites for opening week stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland is a favored venue among locals, because of course it is. And even though he is as well traveled as almost any 50-something on the globe, Kenny McPeek concurs.

“Why not, right?” asked McPeek, who has never forgetten his Lexington roots while building a world-class stable over the last 30-plus years. “There’s nowhere like it.”

McPeek’s enthusiasm for his home track has racheted up a few notches with the prospect of FallStars Weekend, the three-day stakes extravaganza that helps open a 17-day fall meet. McPeek will saddle the likely favorites in two Grade 1 races: Restless Rider in the Alcibiades on the Friday opener, and Eskimo Kisses in the Spinster on Sunday.

Restless Rider, most recently second in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga, breezed an easy half-mile in 49 seconds in company here Monday with regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. up.

“She’s a fast one,” said McPeek, whose 18 starters in Alcibiades history have produced three wins and seven seconds. “Of all the fillies I’ve ever brought to this race, she might have the most raw talent of any of them.”

Eskimo Kisses, the last-out winner of the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga, looms especially large in the run-up to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, given the recent defection of Elate and the poor effort Sunday in the Zenyatta by Abel Tasman. She breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Saturday at Keeneland.

“I can only worry about my own horses, and this filly is doing just super,” McPeek said. “Her work here Saturday morning was great. I couldn’t ask her to be doing any better.”

McPeek was dealing Monday morning with the disappointing news that Cairo Cat will not be using the automatic berth the colt earned into the BC Juvenile by winning the Iroquois last month at Churchill Downs. Cairo Cat had been scheduled to be among a big field Saturday in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, but he’s out after being diagnosed with a minor injury.

“Hopefully we’ll have him back for the big 3-year-old races,” McPeek said.

In all, 10 stakes will open a front-loaded meet that runs through Oct. 27. Besides the Alcibiades, the 10-race Friday card, to be drawn Tuesday, also will feature the Grade 2 Phoenix.

Saturday is easily the richest day of the meet with four stakes besides the Breeders’ Futurity – the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile, Grade 1 First Lady, Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America, and Grade 2 Woodford. On Sunday, the Grade 3 Bourbon and the newly revived Indian Summer serve in support of the Spinster.

Nine of the 10 stakes (all but the Woodford) carry Win and You’re In designations toward the Breeders’ Cup, which will be run Nov. 2-3 right down the road at Churchill. NBC Sports will provide coverage during 90-minute broadcasts (4:30-6 p.m. Eastern) both Saturday and Sunday.

Fall-meet purses are once again expected to be a Keeneland record, with maiden specials worth $67,000 and allowances ranging from $69,000 to $75,000. As always, many top horsemen from New York and elsewhere will be represented, with Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher having sizable contingents on the grounds. Brad Cox and Wesley Ward, who tied for leading trainer at the spring meet in April with 13 wins each, also will have starters aplenty, as will Mike Maker, who topped the 2017 fall standing with 13 wins.

Mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 80s are forecast for the entire opening weekend. First post daily is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with Mondays and Tuesdays dark.