Trainer Kenny McPeek could have three runners at Royal Ascot this year, with
Java’s War and War Dancer possible starters in the St James’s Palace Stakes and
Pure Fun holding an early entry to the Coronation Stakes.
Java’s War announced himself as a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby
when coming from an unfavorable position to land the Blue Grass at Keeneland by
a neck on April 13. The son of War Pass, who made a winning debut on turf in
September, had previously chased home Kentucky Derby favorite Verrazano in the
Tampa Bay Derby in March.
“Java’s War has been good since his win in the Blue Grass Stakes and there
have been no problems but whether or not he goes to Royal Ascot would depend on
how he is running and doing over the next several weeks,” McPeek said.
“He ran an excellent race in the Blue Grass and he is a horse who certainly
understands what he is supposed to do when he is out there. I would be a little
bit concerned that the St James’ Palace Stakes will be a little bit too short
for him but the way the track is, it plays out a little further and brings
stamina into play.
“I think he likes the synthetics but he has run well on everything we have
put him on and his pedigree suggests turf. Mr Fipke (the owner) will ultimately
decide where we run but I think it is a good option for him.
“He will definitely run in the Kentucky Derby next and his run behind
Verrazano is obviously good form because he (Verrazano) is now favorite for the
race. The Kentucky Derby is a different race though — at a mile and a quarter
— anything can happen.”
War Dancer, a son of War Front, has won two of his three starts on turf and
scored decisively 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland on April 10.
“War Dancer was very impressive on his latest start. He got left at the gate
but proceeded to win anyway and is a horse with a big future,” McPeek said. “We
really like this horse on the grass and I would love to think he could make the
St James’ Palace Stakes.
“Although he hasn’t had a lot of racing, I know he is very talented and we
are going to run him in the American Turf at Churchill Downs on May 3. If he was
to win that, I would be really interested to see how he would get on in a race
like the St James’s Palace.”
Pure Fun, who annexed the Hollywood Starlet Stakes at Hollywood Park in
December, was third on her return in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in
March but found life tougher against the colts when only seventh in the
Lexington at Keeneland last weekend.
“I wanted to have the Coronation Stakes as an option for Pure Fun. She is
owned by a nice group of people and it will depend on how she runs in the
Kentucky Oaks,” McPeek said. “She has been competitive on the grass and she has
already won a Grade 1 so to even place in another one would be a big deal.
“There have been excuses for her performances this season. I think she needed
the run first time out and then she was in against the colts next time. The
original plan was the run in the Honeybee Stakes and then the Fantasy Stakes but
things didn’t work out.
“We have had a couple of misfires but we are regrouping and I think she is
well prepared for the Kentucky Oaks. We feel like we have got her right and she
traveled from Keeneland to Churchill (Tuesday) and will train here up until the
Oaks.”
McPeek is no stranger to having runners at Ascot, having sent over Hard Buck
to finish second in the 2004 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth, while his most
recent runner at the Royal meeting, Casper’s Touch, was third in the 2010
Chesham Stakes.
Other American-based runners that hold Royal Ascot entries include champion
Animal Kingdom, most recently the winner of the Dubai World Cup. Animal Kingdom
has the Queen Anne as his primary option along with the 10-furlong Prince of
Wales’s Stakes. The five-year-old has arrived in Britain and is based at David
Lanigan’s yard in Lambourn.
Owner Ken Ramsey has been a great supporter of Royal Ascot and he could be
represented by Charming Kitten, who was third behind Java’s War in the Blue
Grass, in the St James’s Palace.
Holding entries in the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee are Handsome Mike and
Havelock. Handsome Mike is a versatile performer, with his victories including
the nine-furlong Pennsylvania Derby and the Commonwealth over seven furlongs at
Keeneland. Haveklock has been campaigned mostly over six and seven furlongs and
was last seen out taking the Shakertown over a 5 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland on
April 13.
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