Trainer Ken McPeek has won more than 1,400 races in a career that dates back more than two decades and includes a victory in a Triple Crown race, eight in-the-money finishes in Breeders' Cup races and 67 victories in graded stakes.
McPeek's highlight might be a victory in the 2002 Belmont Stakes (Sarava). He also has a third-place finish in the 2012 Belmont (Antigun) and a second-place finish in the 1995 Kentucky Derby (Tejano Run).
But McPeek scored his first victory in a stakes race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs on Friday when 6-5 favorite Trace Creek held off Pistolpackinpenny and Mallard's Bro by a half-length to win the $75,000 Arkansas Breeders' Stakes at 1 mile, 1/16th.
"I've been knocking on the door in the big ones," McPeek said of his Oaklawn stakes record, which includes a second in the 2013 Arkansas Derby with Frac Daddy and a second in the Southwest Stakes earlier this meet with The Truth or Else.
Even though Friday's victory wasn't the most prestigious of McPeek's 1,430 career victories, it was no less satisfying for McPeek, who was born in Fort Chaffee, and owner John Ed Anthony of Shortleaf Stable. The victory marked Anthony's first Oaklawn stakes victory since 1999.
"All of them are fun," McPeek said.
Trace Creek, a 5-year-old horse by Harperstown, had raced seven consecutive times on the turf, winning twice and earning $110,015, but made the transition back to dirt Friday with jockey Chris Landeros in the saddle.
"We think he's a little better on grass," McPeek said.
Trace Creek was good enough Friday, but not by much. He sat behind the early pace set by long shots Too Tall and Proud Image before taking the lead at the head of the stretch.
Trace Creek then gawked at the starting gate in the midstretch, McPeek said, and Landeros told McPeek he had to angle his mount back toward an onrushing Pistolpackinpenny and Mallard's Bro to get him back in gear to win by a length.
The final time was 1:46.33, after opening fractions of 23.96, 48.70, 1:14.64 and 1:40.11 for a mile on a fast track.
The victory was the sixth in 17 career starters for Trace Creek and increased his career earnings to $261,659, avenging a ninth-place finish in the same race one year ago, which was run over a sloppy track and won by Mallard's Bro.
Sports on 03/28/2015