McPeek Seeks American Oaks Double With Princess Warrior
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Photo: Coady Photography
Princess Warrior wins the Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs
A year after he won the American Oaks (G1T) with Daddys Lil Darling, trainer Ken McPeek is sending another promising Kentucky-based filly out west to seek grade 1 glory.
For this year's American Oaks, set to run at Santa Anita Park Dec. 29, McPeek has sent Evan Trommer, Matthew Trommer, and Andrew Trommer's Princess Warrior, and the Midshipman filly is carrying some momentum.
Unlike Daddys Lil Darling, who came into the American Oaks winless in her previous 10 graded tries, Princess Warrior earned her first graded score last time out in the Nov. 23 Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs.
WINCZE HUGHES: Princess Warrior Grinds it Out in Mrs. Revere
Another out-of-towner entering the American Oaks off her first graded win is Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Maurice Lagassem, and Haras d'Etreham's French-bred Colonia, who broke through for trainer Graham Motion in the Oct. 19 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G3T).
WINCES HUGHES: Colonia Shows Her Mettle in Valley View Victory
Of the local contingent, grade 2 winners Paved and Californiagoldrush figure to be the main contenders, but Amandine could not have been much more impressive in her U.S. debut and first start for trainer Jeff Mullins Nov. 22 at Del Mar.
The Shamardal filly, who won just once from 11 starts in England, took an optional-claiming allowance at a mile on the Del Mar grass by 3 1/4 lengths. Another European import in the American Oaks field, Kodiak West, took two starts to find the Del Mar winner's circle, but found pay dirt in an optional-claiming allowance Nov. 16. Drayden Van Dyke piloted both of those fillies to victory, but will sit aboard Paved, the June 6 Honeymoon Stakes (G2T) winner, in the American Oaks.
Rounding out the field is Mullins' second entry, maiden winner K P Pergoliscious, stakes-placed maiden winner Retro, and the Chad Brown-trained Competitionofideas, a stakes-placed allowance winner who has raced exclusively in New York.
Since the race was first run in 2002 at Hollywood Park, out-of-state horses have taken the American Oaks nine times out 17.