Columnist Ralph Siraco: McPeek finds success in the ‘Big Easy’

Ralph Siraco

Monday, March 11, 2002 | 9:38 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

NEW ORLEANS -- Trainer Kenny McPeek held his own version of Mardi Gras over the weekend. The young trainer blew into the Big Easy and took the pair of sophomore championship races at the famed and historic Fair Grounds race track with odds-on favorites.

And, not even Mother Nature, the jinx that comes with overwhelming choices nor the forces of fate, could stop the Kentucky-based conditioner from keeping to his ultimate task that leads to Louisville on the first weekend of May.

McPeek is in the enviable position that guys such as Baffert, Lukas or Zito usually occupy. This year he holds aces with the outstanding three-year-old filly Take Charge Lady and the current Kentucky Derby future book-favorite Repent.

The Fair Grounds Oaks were run on Saturday and the Louisiana Derby on Sunday. They are two races with total purse monies of $1 million.

But, when the weekend's events were history, it was Take Charge Lady who displayed the best performance.

Her authoritative victory continues to fuel a sentiment from racing pundits that believe the filly division is better group than its colt counterpart this year.

Now, McPeek may have to decide if those sentiments are right.

On Saturday, Take Charge Lady faced what would turn out to be an inferior field of challengers in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

Installed as the 3-to-5 morning line favorite, the Dehere daughter romped in the 1 1/16th miles Grade II on a track made sloppy with a downpour an hour before the race.

She extend her record to five victories from seven starts that also included a runner-up effort. Her only blemish came in the Breeders' Juvenile Fillies, where she never threatened and finished sixth to eventual Eclipse Award winner Tempera.

After the lopsided victory, McPeek said that although he plans to run her in the April 6 Ashland stakes at Keeneland -- a race restricted for fillies -- he will also nominate her to the Arkansas Derby that would pit her against the boys, as a "back-up plan." On Sunday, the skies were blue and the track was fast, and so was McPeek.

Still reeling from the $350,000-added victory from Saturday, McPeek's real "Derby horse" was set to go in the $750,000 Louisiana Derby.

Installed as the 1-to-2 morning line favorite, Repent was sure to be odds-on with new pilot Jerry Bailey aboard.

After winning the Risen Star Stakes, which is the Fair Grounds prep for the Louisiana Derby, and three of five previous starts with Repent, regular rider Tony D'Amico was unceremoniously replaced by Bailey for the Derby.

Bailey, who is still the rider of record for West Coast Kentucky Derby-choice Siphonic, committed to only the Louisiana version.

After Sunday's close call, Bailey may be saying, "California, here I come."

Sent off as the prohibitive 2-to-5 favorite, Repent was expected to lay over his seven rivals in much the same way as stablemate Take Charge Lady did the day before.

As expected, Bob's Image and Charioteer went off to set the pace in the 1 1/16th miles Derby. But, with veteran riders Pat Day and Craig Perret, respectively, aboard those pacesetters, the tempo was anything but breakneck.

Bailey had to keep the usual stretch-running Repent much closer to the leaders. Down the back stretch of the Grade II, Repent sat in traffic just three lengths from the top.

As the field made their way to the top of the long Fair Grounds home stretch, Repent was making hard work of what was supposed to have been easy.

Repent, by a nose, was the outcome. Charioteer survived for third.

McPeek was not eager to plan his next step with the son of Louis Quatorze and said he would wait as much as weeks before a decision.

Like Take Charge Lady, Repent with Sunday's victory has won five of seven lifetime starts. And, except for the latest score, D'Amico has been aboard for all starts.

Although he still remains a major player in this year's Kentucky Derby picture, Repent may find another chauffeur and Take Charge Lady may join the chase for the roses.