Under the Palms can add to McPeek's successful meet

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Kenny McPeek will look to continue his exceptional Oaklawn Park meet in Friday’s fourth race, when he sends out the capable Under the Palms against probable favorite In Just My Heels.

The 3-year-old fillies meet in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles. The race is one of two high-end offerings on the 10-race card. Hypersport takes on Effortlesslyelegant in the ninth, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares who have never won three races. The purse for each allowance is $140,000.

Oaklawn is moving into its final two weeks of racing Friday. McPeek is sitting second in the standings with 28 wins from 151 starts. He also ranks second in stable earnings, with $3.8 million, according to Oaklawn statistics.

“We’ve had a really good meet,” McPeek said. “We brought in a lot of nice horses, and it all kind of came together really well for us.”

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Under the Palms is one of a number of 3-year-old winners McPeek has had this season. She won a maiden special weight at a mile in her most recent start March 30. The Beyer Speed Figure of 78 that Under the Palms earned is the best last-race number in the field Friday. Emmanuel Esquivel has the mount from post 4 for Tilted Shamrock Stables.

Under the Palms could get a stalking trip off In Just My Heels in the field of six. In Just My Heels won her maiden on the front end in February at 1 1/16 miles. In two subsequent starts, In Just My Heels was seventh in the Grade 3 Honeybee won by the Kentucky Oaks-bound Lemon Muffin and 10th in the Grade 2 Fantasy won by another Oaks candidate in the McPeek-trained Thorpedo Anna.

In Just My Heels is a daughter of Midnight Lute and the mare High Heels, who won the Fantasy and went on to run third in the Kentucky Oaks. Anita Ebert, who bred and owns In Just My Heels, raced High Heels. In Just My Heels will break from post 6, with Rafael Bejarano aboard for trainer Ron Moquett.

In the ninth race, Hypersport will be making her second start since last meet. In her return, she was fifth to Grade 2 winner Taxed in a second-level allowance sprint March 16. The runner-up from the race, Palacein, came back to capture the $50,000 Wilma Mankiller Stakes at Will Rogers Downs with a Beyer of 83. The third-place finisher from the race Hypersport exits, Backyard Money, came back to win a $62,500 starter allowance at Oaklawn with a Beyer of 84. Francisco Arrieta has the mount on Hypersport for trainer Ingrid Mason.

◗ McPeek has won six stakes races at the current Oaklawn meet, led by the Grade 3 Southwest with Kentucky Derby-bound Mystik Dan and the Fantasy. He could add to those totals in the $200,000 Lake Ouachita on the closing day card May 5.

“I could run two or three in there,” McPeek said. “Frosted Departure, Escapologist, or Ben Franklin. I could run any of the three.”

◗ In the seventh race, the debuting 3-year-old Zatara will be the first starter for the mare Chanel’s Legacy, a four-time stakes winner whose local victories included the Martha Washington. H. Allen Poindexter bred and raced Chanel’s Legacy and is the breeder and owner of the Audible colt Zatara.

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