Kenneth McPeek
Kenneth G. McPeek is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
Life and career
Kenneth G. "Kenny" McPeek was born August 2, 1962 in Fort Chaffee, Arkansas and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. He graduated from Tates Creek High School and then the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. In 1985 McPeek received his Thoroughbred Trainer's License.McPeek serves on the Boards of the University of Kentucky College of Agricultural Equine Program Advisory Committee, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. He is a member of the New York Racing Association and The Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine Equine Veterinary Medical Director Search Committee.
Major horses
McPeek has trained a number of racehorses, in 2002, he won the Belmont Stakes with Sarava. He has won back-to-back Spinster Stakes' with Take Charge Lady in 2002 & 2003 and back-to-back Gulfstream Park Breeder's Cup Handicaps with Hard Buck & Prince Arch in 2004 & 2005. Other Grade 1 victories include the Florida Derby, Ashland Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes, Dixiana Breeders Futurity and the Darley Alcibiades Stakes four times in his career. He has also trained all-time leading North American money earner Curlin, Dream Empress, Tejano Run, Golden Ticket, Harlan's Holiday, Hard Buck, Java's War, Pure Fun, Repent, Take Charge Lady, Salty Strike, Sweet Talker, Leah's Secret, She's A Devil Due, Wild Desert, Einstein, Prince Arch, Noble's Promise, Kathmanblu, Rogue Romance, Daddys Lil Darling, Eskimo Kisses, Signalman, and Restless Rider, among others.McPeek has won more than 200 stakes in his career, with 79 of them graded. Through January 19, 2019, he has 1,642 career wins with earnings of more than $79 Million.
McPeek currently races primarily at Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park and Saratoga, as well as keeping a division at his Magdalena Farm in Lexington.
Graded Stakes Wins
| Horse | Stakes | Date | Track | Grade | |
| SWISS SKYDIVER | Santa Anita Oaks | 6/06/20 | Santa Anita | 2 | - |
| SWISS SKYDIVER | Fantasy Stakes | 5/1/20 | Oaklawn | 3 | - |
| SWISS SKYDIVER | Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Oaks | 3/28/20 | Gulfstream | 2 | - |
| FIGHTING SEABEE | With Anticipation Stakes | 8/28/19 | Saratoga | 3 | - |
| PRINCESS WARRIOR | Latonia Stakes | 3/9/19 | Turfway | - | |
| HARVEY WALLBANGER | Holy Bull | 2/9/2019 | Gulfstream | 2 | - |
| RESTLESS RIDER | Debutante Stakes | 6/30/2018 | Churchll | L | - |
| RATED R SUPERSTAR | Ben Ali Stakes | 4/14/2018 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| VETTORI KIN | Louisville Handicap | 5/19/2018 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| DADDY'S LIL DARLING | Modesty Handicap | 7/7/2018 | Arlington Park | 3 | - |
| ESKIMO KISSES | Alabama Stakes | 8/18/2018 | Saratoga Race Course | 1 | - |
| CAIRO CAT | Iroquois Stakes | 9/15/2018 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| RESTLESS RIDER | Darley Alcibiades Stakes | 10/5/2018 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| PRINCESS WARRIOR | Mrs. Revere Stakes | 11/23/2018 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| SIGNALMAN | Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes | 11/24/2018 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| PURELY A DREAM | Bourbonette Oaks | 3/25/2017 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| SENIOR INVESTMENT | Stone Street Lexington Stakes | 4/15/2017 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| SOME IN TIEME | Louisville Handicap | 5/20/2017 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| TEN CITY | Bashford Manor Stakes | 6/30/2017 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| DADDY'S LIL DARLING | American Oaks | 12/30/2017 | Santa Anita | 1 | - |
| WONDERMENT | Bourbonette Oaks | 4/2/2016 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| RATED R SUPERSTAR | Carry Back Stakes | 7/2/2016 | Gulfstream Park | 3 | - |
| DADDY'S LIL DARLING | Pocahontas Stakes | 9/17/2016 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| DOTHRAKI QUEEN | Pocahontas Stakes | 9/12/2015 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| CHASING BUBBLES | The Great White Way Stakes | 12/28/2014 | Aqueduct | 3 | - |
| LAWN RANGER | Dixiana Bourbon | 10/5/2014 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| FRAC DADDY | Eclipse Stakes | 6/1/2014 | Woodbine | 2 | - |
| WAR DANCER | Louisville Handicap | 5/24/2014 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| FRAC DADDY | Ben Ali Stakes | 4/19/2014 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| FLASHY AMERICAN | Sixty Sails | 4/19/2014 | Hawthorne | 3 | - |
| OCCASIONAL VIEW | Commonwealth Stakes | 4/12/2014 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| ROSALIND | Ashland | 5/24/2014 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| PURE FUN | Indiana Oaks | 10/5/2013 | Indiana Downs | 2 | - |
| WAR DANCER | Virginia Derby | 6/28/2013 | Colonial Downs | 2 | - |
| JAVA'S WAR | Blue Grass Stakes | 3/2/2013 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| PURE FUN | Hollywood Starlet Stakes | 12/08/2012 | Hollywood Park | 1 | - |
| GOLDEN TICKET | Travers Stakes | 8/25/2012 | Saratoga | 1 | - |
| SALTY STRIKE | Gardenia Stakes | 8/11/2012 | Ellis Park | 3 | - |
| VOLCAT | Virginia Oaks | 7/21/2012 | Colonial l Downs | 3 | - |
| BIZZY CAROLINE | Early Times Mint Julep Handicap | 6/2/2012 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| BIZZY CAROLINE | Regret Stakes | 6/18/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| SCOTUS | Matt Winn Stakes | 6/18/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| MY BABY BABY | Early Times Mint Julep Stakes | 6/11/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| NOBLE'S PROMISE | Aristides Stakes | 6/4/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| SALTY STRIKE | Dogwood Stakes | 6/4/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| KATHMANBLU | Rachel Alexandra Stakes | 2/19/2011 | Fair Grounds | 3 | - |
| SALTY STRIKE | Dogwood Stakes | 6/4/2011 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| KATHMANBLU | Golden Rod Stakes | 11/27/2010 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| ROGUE ROMANCE | Bourbon Stakes | 10/10/2010 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| ORCHESTRATOR | Bourbonette Oaks | 3/27/2010 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| STRIKING DANCER | La Canada Stakes | 2/14/2010 | Santa Anita | 2 | - |
| NOBLE'S PROMISE | Dixiana Breeders' Futurity | 10/10/2009 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| BRIDGETOWN | Summer Stakes | 9/19/2009 | Woodbine | 3 | - |
| BOLD START | Aristides Stakes | 5/30/2009 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| WAR KILL | Beaumont Stakes | 4/8/2009 | Keeneland | 2 | - |
| NISTLE'S CRUNCH | Commonwealth Turf Stakes | 11/9/2008 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| DREAM EMPRESS | Darley Alcibiades Stakes | 10/3/2008 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| DRILLING FOR OIL | Louisville Handicap | 5/26/2007 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| BIRDBIRDISTHEWORD | Boyd Gaming's Delta Jackpot | 12/1/2006 | Delta Downs | 3 | - |
| PRINCE ARCH | Gulfstream Park Breeders Cup Handicap | 3/6/2005 | Gulfstream Park | 1 | - |
| PRINCE ARCH | Saranac Handicap | 9/6/2004 | Saratoga | 3 | - |
| SISTER STAR | Regret Stakes | 6/12/2004 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| PRINCE ARCH | Jefferson Cup Stakes | 6/12/2004 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| HARD BUCK | Gulfstream Park Breeders Cup Handicap | 2/22/2004 | Gulfstream Park | 1 | - |
| HARD BUCK | River City Handicap | 11/16/2003 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Spinster Stakes | 10/5/2003 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Arlington Matron Handicap | 9/1/2003 | Arlington Park | 3 | - |
| WILD AND WICKED | Ohio Derby | 6/21/2003 | Thistledown | 2 | - |
| WHITE CAT | Transylvania Stakes | 4/4/2003 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| MIDNGHT CRY | The Stonerside Forward Gal Stakes | 3/14/2003 | Gulfstream Park | 3 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Spinster Stakes | 10/6/2002 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| MINISTER'S BABY | Gardenia Handicap | 8/10/2002 | Ellis Park | 3 | - |
| SARAVA | Belmont Stakes | 6/8/2002 | Belmont Park | 1 | - |
| PISCES | Louisville Handicap | 6/1/2002 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Dogwood Stakes | 5/25/2002 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| HARLAN'S HOLIDAY | Blue Grass Stakes | 4/13/2002 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Ashland Stakes | 4/6/2002 | Keeneland | 1 | - |
| HARLAN'S HOLIDAY | Florida Derby | 3/16/2002 | Gulfstream Park | 1 | - |
| REPENT | Louisiana Derby | 3/10/2002 | Fair Grounds | 2 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Fair Grounds Oaks | 3/9/2002 | Fair Grounds | 2 | - |
| REPENT | Risen Star Stakes | 2/17/2002 | Fair Grounds | 3 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Silverbulletday Stakes | 2/16/2002 | Fair Grounds | 3 | - |
| REPENT | Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes | 11/24/2001 | Churchill Downs | 2 | - |
| HARLAN'S HOLIDAY | Iroquois Stakes | 11/4/2001 | Churchill Downs | 3 | - |
| TAKE CHARGE LADY | Alcibiades Stakes | 10/5/2001 | Keeneland | 2 | - |
| REPENT | Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes | 9/22/2001 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| SHE'S A DEVIL DUE | Alcibiades Stakes | 10/15/2000 | Keeneland | 2 | - |
| GO LIB GO | Tropical Park Derby | 1/2/2000 | Calder | 3 | - |
| TEJANO RUN | Turfway Championship Handicap | 9/27/1997 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| TEJANO RUN | Widener Handicap | 3/22/1997 | Hialeah Park | 3 | - |
| TEJANO RUN | Fort Harrod Stakes | 4/12/1996 | Keeneland | 3 | - |
| TEJANO RUN | Breeders' Futurity | 10/23/1994 | Keeneland | 2 | - |
| TEJANO RUN | Ky. Cup Juvenile | 9/24/1994 | Turfway Park | 3 | - |
| HER TEMPER | Beaumont Stakes | 4/10/1994 | Keeneland | 2 | - |
Training facilities
In 2006, McPeek purchased a portion of the former Pillar Stud Farm, which is owned by William duPont III and formerly part of his mass landholdings prior to financial difficulties & bad investments in the 1990s causing him to sell off much of assets, a 115-acre farm, in Lexington, Kentucky which he renamed Magdalena Farm in honor of Magdalena Weber Shely, the original Matriarch of the land.The office at Magdalena Farm is also the home base for McPeek Racing, Magdalena Racing Partnerships, and Horse Races Now, the comprehensive horse racing APP. Currently, the farm has over 150 horses that are either racing, training, or being broken to saddle. The farm also handles mares and foals, as well as layups, thereby covering all stages of a horse's career.
Mobile app
McPeek has developed a mobile app to provide comprehensive horse racing video and data for new fans and veteran horseplayers, called Horse Races Now. He reported that he came up with the idea for a horse racing app while watching CNBC's Planet of the Apps, a one-hour program that explored the explosion of mobile technology, specifically through phone applications. "During the show, I Googled 'horse racing apps' and there weren't any. I kind of politicked around and checked with some people to see if this was something that was happening. Long and short, I ended up doing it on my own because I just felt like it needed to be done."McPeek launched Horse Races Now on March 27, 2012, and four years later, McPeek reported in a radio interview that the app had been downloaded over 500,000 times.