Kenny McPeek is happy with the draw for star filly Crazy Beautiful as he mulls over how the Kentucky Oaks might play out.
The Phoenix Thoroughbreds’ owned runner will break from post four on Friday as she looks to back up her win in the Gulfstream Park Oaks last time out.
McPeek has an excellent record in the premier contest of fillies. Although yet to taste victory, he has seen his trainee’s finish second on three occasions, including last year with eventual Preakness winner Swiss Skydiver. As for the owners, this is the second time they have had a runner in the Kentucky Oaks. In the 2019 version, MGSW Lady Apple ran an outstanding third behind Serengeti Empress.
Jose Ortiz will once again be on board the daughter of Liam’s Map, retaining the ride after getting the leg-up on the three-year-old for the first time for her Florida win.
“When he rode her at Gulfstream, it was a pleasant surprise because he didn’t really know her very well, but he held her together and he waited and he waited and then he uncorked her,” McPeek said. “That’s what she’s going to need here. I think she’s going to need a little pace in front of her to get it done and she’s going to have to fire her best shot. I’ve had pretty good luck with my horses third off the layoff, this is her third race off the layoff, and I think she’s as good as we can get her.
“I like where she’s at in the four. I think the only post I was not wanting was the one. She’s going to be a come-from-behind horse and I think that kind of forces him to stay inside and save her ground. I’d rather be in the four than in the 14, but we don’t put much energy into all that because you can’t control the draw.
“I’m going to leave it up to Jose completely because he rode her so well last time,” he continued. “As a two-year-old she didn’t show like she wanted to go quite that far. As a three-year-old, I think if he rides her similar to his Gulfstream race, that’s going to be your best chance.”
Crazy Beautiful was the first horse raced by McPeek for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and she quickly established herself as a talented young lady. She won her first two starts, including the Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park and then finished second in the G3 Pocahontas Stakes, G1 Alcibiades and G2 Davona Dale before her score in the Gulf Stream Oaks. She is installed as a 15/1 chance on the Morning Line for Friday’s Oaks.