Mid-Atlantic warhorse Page McKenney retired at 8

Page McKenney, a rags-to-riches warhorse based at Pimlico Race Course, and one of the most popular runners in the Mid-Atlantic the past several years, has been retired with filling in his left front tendon, trainer Mary Eppler confirmed late Friday afternoon.

Eppler and owner Adam Staple claimed Page McKenney for $16,000 out of a sixth-place finish in a non-winners-of-two lifetime turf race at Penn National on July 20, 2013. Page McKenney went on to win 21 races for Eppler and Staple and ends his career with earnings of $1,905,940.

“I’m really not upset,” Eppler said. “He’s getting older and this is a good ending for him. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. He’s been so good to all of us. He’s done so much for everyone.

“He’s sound and quite wild at the moment.”

Page McKenney’s final career record is 22-16-5 from 58 starts. Jockey Horacio Karamanos rode Page McKenney in 33 races, winning 18 times.

Several starts after claiming Page McKenney, Staple let his former owner and breeder, the Jalin Stable of Jim Bryant, buy a 10 percent interest in the horse.

Page McKenney is an obscurely bred 8-year-old Pennsylvania-bred gelding by Eavesdropper out of the Yarrow Brae mare Winning Grace. In his final start, he finished third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 29. That race was the third of five legs in the Mid Atlantic Championships long-dirt division and locked up the series title.

He is entered in Saturday’s president’s Cup at Parx but will be scratched.

Page McKenney came out of the Monmouth Cup with filling in the same leg he had swelling in after finishing second to Stanford in the 2016 Charles Town Classic. Eppler scratched him the morning of the Pimlico Special the following month and gave him plenty of farm time to recover.

“I just want the best for the horse,” she said. “I just love the horse and what he’s done. His whole career has just been wonderful.”

Page McKenney began to steadily improve after being claimed and would go on to win 15 stakes. He won two in 2014, and then five more the next year.

In 2016, he scored his richest victory in the Grade 3 General George at Laurel Park, defeating Majestic Affair by a head. He also won the Native Dancer at Laurel that year.

Last season, he won four more stakes, including another edition of the Native Dancer. He won the old Hickory this winter at Gulfstream Park in addition to the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth.

As was his style, Page McKenney surged late to win the Salvator in the shadow of the wire after appearing beaten in midstretch.

“He always gave his all,” Eppler said.

It has not yet been determined where Page Mckenney will spend his retirement but Eppler guarantees he will have a good home.