Kenny McPeek
Record at Keeneland
Career Firsts
Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
Year |
Horse |
Finish |
2023 |
Sun Thunder |
4th |
2023 |
Mendelssohns March |
6th |
2023 |
Hayes Strike |
7th |
2020 |
Swiss Skydiver (filly) |
2nd |
2019 |
Signalman |
3rd |
2017 |
It's Your Nickel |
6th |
2013 |
Java’s War |
Won |
2009 |
Theregoesjojo |
9th |
2002 |
Harlan’s Holiday |
Won |
2000 |
Deputy Warlock |
4th |
1999 |
Pineaff |
7th |
1995 |
Tejano Run |
3rd |
At Keeneland
Five training titles (Fall 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015 [tie]; Spring 2011).
Five wins in the Darley Alcibiades (G1): She's A Devil Due (2000), Take Charge Lady (2001), Dream Empress (2008), Restless Rider (2018) and Simply Ravishing (2020).Three wins in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1): Tejano Run (1994), Noble's Promise (2009) and Rattle N Roll (2021).
Three wins in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1): Tejano Run (1994), Noble's Promise (2009) and Rattle N Roll (2021).
Three wins in the Central Bank Ashland (G1): Take Charge Lady (2002), Rosalind (DH in 2014) and Defining Purpose (2023)
Two wins in the Toyota Blue Grass: Java's War (2013), Harlan's Holiday (2002).
Sent out Take Charge Lady to four stakes wins to rank third behind all-time leader Wise Dan (7) and Rushing Fall (5). Take Charge Lady also won the 2002 Ashland (G1) and 2002-2003 Spinster (G1).
Four stakes winners in 2021 all were ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr.: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) with Rattle N Roll, Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) with Tiz the Bomb, Stonestreet Lexington (G3) with King Fury and Bryan Station with Camp Hope.
Rattle N Roll won the Ben Ali (G3) during the 2023 Spring Meet.
Won first Keeneland race during the 1986 Spring Meet.
First Keeneland stakes win was the 1992 Green River with Warside.
Career
Triple Crown wins (2): 2020 Preakness with the filly Swiss Skydiver; 2002 Belmont with 70-1 longshot Sarava
North American career earnings exceed $114 million with 1,976 wins through Nov. 28, 2023.
Click here for his Equibase career record.
Background
Kenny grew up in Lexington and became interested in racing because his father, Ron, owned several Thoroughbreds. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in business administration, he took an entry-level job with a Keeneland-based stable and obtained his trainer’s license when his father asked him to oversee some of his runners. He saddled his first winner, Final Destroyer, at River Downs in October 1985.
In June 2005, Kenny decided his stable of 160 horses in six states had grown too large and that he could serve his clients’ interests better by concentrating on being a bloodstock agent. One of his purchases was future two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, sold for $57,000 as a yearling. Kenny turned the bulk of his stable over to longtime assistant, Helen Pitts. He returned to training in the spring of 2006.
Kenny owns and operates Magdalena Farm in Lexington. He developed the Horse Races NOW app, which allows users to watch racing on their mobile devices and retrieve other racing information.