McPeek Getting Smile Happy Ready for Whitney

The top older horses from the barn of trainer Kenny McPeek are on the grounds at his private barn behind the Oklahoma Training Track after arriving from Kentucky on the night of July 27.

One of them, Smile Happy , will be running in the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 5. The plan for the other, Rattle N Roll , is on hold. It all depends on what Smile Happy does at the Spa.

"Rattle N Roll will wait for either the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1, at Saratoga Sept. 2) or the Pacific Classic (G1, at Del Mar Sept. 2)," McPeek said outside his barn July 28. "It all depends on how Smile Happy runs. If Smile Happy runs really well (in the Whitney), he will come back to the Jockey Club Gold Cup. If he doesn't, he might go to California and Rattle N Roll will run here (in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.)"

Both colts are 4-year-olds and both are owned by Lucky Seven Stable.

Smile Happy, wearing blinkers, went to the Oklahoma Training Track with exercise rider Joe Bealmear aboard on July 28. Accompanied by a stable pony, Smile Happy , had some gate schooling before some light galloping.

"He is not an easy horse to train," McPeek said. "He tests us pretty regularly. He has what I call a classic alpha personality. He wants to do what he wants to do. Talent? He has a world of it. Think of an old school horse like John Henry. John Henry would train when he felt like training, and the older he got, the smarter he got at it. They had to work around his schedule, no the other way around. When it comes to his training regime, he decides more than we do sometimes. He's a tricky horse to be around."

Smile Happy, a son of Runhappy  , finished fifth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Ellis Park in his last start. Rattle N Roll, by Connect, was second in the same race.

McPeek said that Brian Hernandez, who has ridden Smile Happy to two of his four career wins, will be in from Kentucky to ride the colt in the Whitney.