If you’ve been a bit out of the loop with all the Kentucky Derby buzz, let me fill you in: Kenny McPeek has one of his horses ready to compete in the Run for the Roses. So, it looks like the horse trainer is set to run Render Judgment on May 3 in that well-known Grade 1 race. Wow, it was really surprising because earlier reports said the colt wouldn’t be running in the Kentucky Derby. That’s a pretty big change, if you ask me. It seems like the trainer has some more news to share with everyone.

McPeek shared a video on his official X profile, captioning it: “Jimmy Jerkens/Kenny McPeek working together in New York. I’m in the fortunate position to have a great group of young horses and we’ve assembled a Top class team.” So, this is some big news for everyone connected to the 62-year-old trainer.

McPeek is really excited about this new partnership and shared some interesting details, saying, “So I’m going to share with you all something interesting that’s happening with our racing stable that’s come across in the last month or so. I’m going to be working with Jimmy Jerkens. Jimmy Jerkens is going to be anchoring a New York division for me starting this week. Jimmy’s an iconic name in New York racing. Obviously, a lot of history with him and his father there. And we are going to be, and I’m going to call it a partnership and collaboration with the New York division.”

If you’re a seasoned horse racing fan, you probably know the name Jimmy Jerkens pretty well. The son of Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens has really made a name for himself in the U.S. racing scene, racking up some impressive wins, including those at the Breeders’ Cup and other major stakes races. McPeek shared his excitement about this partnership, pointing out Jerkens’ respected reputation in New York racing and his family’s long-standing connection to the sport. McPeek is handing over the New York operations to Jerkens so he can put more energy into his Kentucky base and yearling sales, which is where he’s always done really well.

“Because I’m based in Kentucky and I have family here and my history has been with yearlings and working yearling sales, and I’ve been fortunate enough to build my racing stable with yearling auctions and working with a lot of people over the decades, this will offer me more time to stay in Kentucky with less worries about a New York division. And Jimmy is such a world-class horseman. I feel very fortunate to have an opportunity to work with him,” said the 62-year-old trainer.

This strategic move helps McPeek keep a solid foothold in New York racing while tapping into Jerkens’ expertise and legacy in the area. Do you think McPeek can pull off the same amazing win he had last year at Churchill Downs? We’ll just have to wait and see. So, just how special was the 2024 season for the trainer?

A dream like victory at the Kentucky Derby

“Just a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant jockey and ride,” Kenny McPeek exclaimed after celebrating his first-ever Kentucky Derby win as a horse trainer. McPeek hit a major milestone by leading Mystik Dan to a win in one of the most exciting finishes we’ve seen in the race’s history.

Mystik Dan, at 18-1 odds, just managed to beat out Sierra Leone and Forever Young in an incredibly close three-horse photo finish—the tightest we’ve seen since 1947—right in front of a crowd of more than 156,000 at Churchill Downs. Everything became more special, as with Thorpedo Anna’s victory in the Kentucky Oaks the day before, he became the first trainer since 1952 to snag both titles in the same year.

McPeek, who is all about getting involved and has a knack for working with horses that aren’t necessarily top-tier, shared how proud he is to pull this off without the support of a big racing operation. He really emphasized the careful planning and hard work that went into Mystik Dan’s success.