McPeek takes shots in Belmont Derby, Oaks

Ken McPeek likely will have starters in both the Belmont Derby Invitational and the Belmont Oaks, Grade 1 races that will be run at 1 1/4 miles over the inner turf July 8. The Belmont Derby has a purse of $1.2 million, and the Belmont Oaks will be worth $1 million.

The July 8 Stars and Stripes Festival card also will include the Grade 2, $750,000 Suburban at 1 1/4 miles; the Grade 3, $400,000 Dwyer, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds; and the Grade 2, $350,000 Belmont Sprint Championship at seven furlongs.

McPeek is pointing Kentucky Oaks runner-up Daddys Lil Darling for the Belmont Oaks and on Tuesday said he was leaning toward starting Senior Investment in the Belmont Derby. McPeek worked both horses a half-mile over the Widener turf course on Monday. Daddys Lil Darling went in 48.88 seconds, and Senior Investment was timed in 50.60.

“He was supposed to work in company with the filly, but it didn’t work out that way,” McPeek said.

Daddys Lil Darling has made one turf start, finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks. She worked a half-mile over the Belmont inner turf on June 19 in 48.02 seconds.

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While Daddys Lil Darling hasn’t raced since the Kentucky Oaks, it should be remembered that McPeek brought her to England for the June 2 Epsom Oaks, but she spooked during the warm-up, possibly due to lightning and thunder, and ran off. Jockey Olivier Peslier, whose attempts to slow her down failed, eventually bailed off, and she was scratched from the race.

In his lone effort on turf, Senior Investment finished fourth in an Ellis Park maiden race last summer. In his last three starts, he has won the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, finished third in the Preakness, and fifth in the Belmont Stakes.

“He’s a great-moving horse, and I don’t think he’ll have any problem with the grass,” McPeek said. “I like this race for him because I think he’ll really handle the 1 1/4 miles. The grass could be another dimension for him moving forward.”

The Derby and Oaks fields are still coming together, with a pre-entry payment due Wednesday. A plane from France is scheduled to bring European runners in Saturday, and Aidan O’Brien’s contingent is expected to arrive Tuesday.

The Derby has a solid core of U.S. runners, including Big Score, Frostmourne, Oscar Performance, Ticonderoga, and Yoshida.

The Oaks field likely will have four runners from the barn of Chad Brown: Fifty Five, New Money Honey, and Euro imports Sistercharlie and Uni.

Sistercharlie finished second of 16 in the Group 1 Prix de Diane, or French Oaks, at Chantilly on June 18. She is now owned by Peter Brant. Uni, who will debut for Michael Dubb, won the $60,000 Prix Matchem at Maisons-Laffitte in May.

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