McPeek seeks a Holy Bull double; Harvey Wallbanger returning

After stabling horses at Oaklawn Park, Fair Grounds, Payson Park and Ocala, Fla., over the past several years, trainer Kenny McPeek has “consolidated” his stable at his Ocala area facility while also training a division at Gulfstream.

With a long-term commitment to Florida, having opened Summerfield Training Center in Marion County, the conditioner is slated to saddle Mayberry Deputy for a start in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. It's a quest for a second straight triumph in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on the road to the 2020 Kentucky Derby.

McPeek saddled Harvey Wallbanger for a 29-1 upset victory in last season’s Holy Bull during the trainer’s Championship Meet return after spending several winters away.

“Dominic Brennan, who I’ve been working with for three decades, is handling the young horses. He’s a consummate horseman. He handled horses like Curlin, Take Charge Lady, Einstein and Repent. I could go on and on,” McPeek said. “He’s handling the young horses and Marty Wolfson is handling the older horses up there. I bounce between Gulfstream and Summerfield.”

When heavy rains caused widespread flooding in Hallandale in December, McPeek was certainly glad to have a dry place to bring Mayberry Deputy prior to his impressive victory at Gulfstream on Dec. 28.

“We shipped him out with a group of other horses to Ocala. He had a workout up there and he had to ship him back to run. He handled it without batting an eye. He did everything right,” McPeek said. “Good horses can overcome those type of things. He didn’t miss a beat.”

Mayberry Deputy surged through the stretch to win a mile maiden special weight race going away by 2 ½ lengths. The son of Majesticperfection previously finished second in a six-furlong sprint at Churchill Downs. The winner, Gold Street, went on to win the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds and the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn in his next two starts. Third-place finisher Major Fed won next out as well and is pointing to Fair Grounds' Risen Star (G2).

“You have to be optimistic the way he’s been doing,” said McPeek, who saddled Harlan’s Holiday for victory in the 2002 Florida Derby. “This is what dreams are made of – you have a good 3-year-old colt who is doing good at the right time.”

McPeek is confident that Mayberry Deputy, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux, will handle two turns for the first time Saturday.

“I think he’ll relish it. He’s been begging for it,” he said. “I would have liked to have run him two turns sooner.”

Then on Sunday, a year after his own Holy Bull score, Harvey Wallbanger will return to action at Gulfstream in the Race 10 feature, a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance. The 4-year-old son of Congrats is seeking his first victory since then having run second last out in a Churchill Downs allowance race last November.

Others in the field, with post time at 5:04 p.m. ET, are stakes-placed Trophy Chaser and Outshine along with Scars are Cool, who ran in the 2019 Travers (G1).