McPeek Seeks Upset With Butterbean in Iowa Oaks

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McPeek Seeks Upset With Butterbean in Iowa Oaks
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Photo: Coady Photography
Butterbean wins the Panthers Stakes at Prairie Meadows

Nothing compares to the prestige and megabucks of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), but they're not the only lucrative races with Derby and Oaks attached to their names. Many other states stage them, and on July 9 it's Iowa’s turn.

On July 9 Prairie Meadows will feature the $250,000 Iowa Derby and the $225,000 Iowa Oaks (G3). Each 1 1/16-mile race has locally based runners challenging shippers trained by classic winners Steve Asmussen, Todd Pletcher, Kenny McPeek, Michael McCarthy, and Keith Desormeaux. The Oaks' post time is 9:40 p.m. ET, half an hour before the Derby.

The absence of big-name horses may complicate the handicapping equations. None of the 10 going in the Iowa Derby competed in the big one in Louisville. Of the eight in the Iowa Oaks, only Candy Raid  ran in the Kentucky Oaks, where she was ninth at 54-1 odds.

McPeek will send out the rapidly improving Butterbean  (Klimt  ) in the Iowa Oaks. She’s the 5-1 fourth choice but the only one with a win at Prairie Meadows, where she and jockey Glenn Corbett dominated the $50,000, one-mile Panthers Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths June 11. That runaway was a surprise, considering Butterbean lost five times (four seconds) before breaking her maiden in her previous race May 27 at Churchill Downs.

"Her last two races have been great," McPeek said by phone. "She seems to be really coming around. I loved the way Glenn rode her last time. She came from behind because the pace was very fast, but the time before she rated up close in second. We'll let Glenn decide how to play it."

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Free Like a Girl  (3-1) has by far the most wins (seven) and earnings ($401,473) in the field, but it’s only her fourth time outside of her native Louisiana or against open company. Candy Raid, the 5-2 morning-line choice trained by Desormeaux, is 0-for-3 in graded company but gets serious class relief after chasing standouts Nest  and Secret Oath .

Desormeaux cross-entered the daughter of Candy Ride   in Saturday's Indiana Oaks (G3) but texted BloodHorse that she'd run at Prairie Meadows, saying, "Candy Raid thinks Iowa corn is sweeter than Indiana corn."

Falconet  (7-2), by elite sire Uncle Mo  , is 2-for-3 with a win going 1 1/16 miles and Hall of Fame connections in Pletcher and jockey Javier Castellano.

McPeek always likes taking a shot even when he’s up against it on paper. "We didn't teach Butterbean to read yet," he said.

He cross-entered Rattle N Roll  in the Iowa Derby and Indiana Derby (G3). The colt won last Saturday's $200,000 American Derby, which was switched to the dirt because of problems with Churchill’s new turf course. McPeek told BloodHorse July 5 that Rattle N Roll would run in Indiana. Without him, the Iowa Derby favorites are Pletcher's Major General  (2-1) and trainer Michael Tomlinson's Conagher  (4-1).

Major General (Constitution  ) is 0-for-4 since going 2-for-2 last year, including the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill. He was a close second in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) to subsequent Ohio Derby (G3) winner Tawny Port , and a repeat of that performance probably would end his slump.

Conagher - 060322 - R07 - Churchill Downs - Allowance Optional Claiming
Photo: Coady Photography
Conagher wins an allowance optional claiming racee at Churchill Downs

Conagher (Jimmy Creed  ) is very fast, but he's never been beyond seven furlongs, and Rome  and Big Blue Line  also need the lead.


Entries: Iowa Oaks (G3)

Prairie Meadows, Saturday, July 09, 2022, Race 7

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $225,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 8:40 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Free Like a Girl (LA) Pedro L. Cotto, Jr. 122 Chasey Deville Pomier 3/1
2 2Miss Hard Knocks (KY) Elvin Gonzalez 119 Miguel L. Hernandez 12/1
3 3Falconet (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 122 Todd A. Pletcher 7/2
4 4Butterbean (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Glenn W. Corbett 122 Kenneth G. McPeek 5/1
5 5My Friend Amy (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Lane J. Luzzi 113 Jayde J. Gelner 10/1
6 6Candy Raid (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate James Graham 122 J. Keith Desormeaux 5/2
7 7Hartley (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Kylee R. Jordan 116 Lynn Chleborad 8/1
8 8Nosilverspoonshere (LA)Keeneland Sales Graduate David Cabrera 116 Jeff A. Hiles 6/1


Entries: Iowa Derby

Prairie Meadows, Saturday, July 09, 2022, Race 8

  • STK
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $250,000
  • 3 yo
  • 9:09 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Rome (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Walter De La Cruz 116 Schuyler Condon 10/1
2 2Big Blue Line (MD)Keeneland Sales Graduate David Cabrera 116 Paul J. McGee 9/2
3 3Major General (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Javier Castellano 113 Todd A. Pletcher 2/1
4 4Actuator (KY) James Graham 119 Michael W. McCarthy 8/1
5 5Conagher (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 119 Michael A. Tomlinson 4/1
6 6Feel the Fear (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Kevin Roman 116 Austin Gustafson 10/1
7 7Diamond Rim (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jermaine V. Bridgmohan 113 Dan L. McFarlane 12/1
8 8Ain't Life Grand (IA) Elvin Gonzalez 113 Kelly R. Von Hemel 10/1
9 9Rattle N Roll (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Glenn W. Corbett 113 Kenneth G. McPeek 3/1
10 10Chileno (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Stewart Elliott 122 Steven M. Asmussen 12/1