McPeek targeting Saratoga for Striking Dancer

Before trainer Wesley Ward made his historic raid on the Royal Ascot meeting with Jealous Again and before Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) by 20 ¼ lengths, another American-based filly was near the top of my horses to watch list for 2009.

Striking Dancer, a three-year-old Smart Strike filly out of the Danehill (Ire) mare Dancing Shoes, made her 2009 debut in a turf allowance at Gulfstream Park on February 25. Steadied on the turn and momentarily trapped behind a wall of horses, Striking Dancer and jockey Kent Desormeaux shot up the inside, steered outside and ran down the leader with a burst of late energy.

Trainer Ken McPeek briefly toyed with taking Striking Dancer to compete in a European classic, but an ankle injury sent her to the bench. Now three works into her comeback, McPeek is targeting Saratoga for Striking Dancer’s return.

I recently caught up with McPeek and asked him what he thought of the filly he ferreted out of the sixth day of the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $110,000.

“She’s very good. We have to get her ready again, but she acts like she’s a graded stakes quality filly,” McPeek said. “We just have to get the time and get her ready. I think she will be competitive at a high level.”

Both of Striking Dancer's wins have come on grass, but McPeek thinks she has potential on dirt. He said he would have liked to run her in the Kentucky Oaks.

“I think she’d be fine on the dirt. We just haven’t had the opportunity to get her there,” McPeek said. “I think she might have given Rachel at least a test in the Oaks, but timing is everything and she just wasn’t ready.”

Striking Dancer was bred in Kentucky by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and was consigned by Warrendale Sales at the Keeneland September sale.

Striking Dancer (#4, green hat, blue polka dots)

Gulfstream, 2-25-09, Race 8

A light went on

The first two times I met Richard Duchossois, chairman of Arlington Park, I was not a racing journalist. I was an 18-year-old kid, running back and forth between the Arlington paddock and the rail, hoping to cash a $2 quinella.

Both times Duchossois asked me how my day was going and if the track was doing a good job.

As part of Arlington's sale to Churchill Downs Inc. in 2000, Duchossois became a major shareholder in CDI. Ever since, I've wondered if Duchossois' management style that has made Arlington one of the most customer and horsemen friendly tracks in the country would rub off on Churchill. (While hoping it wouldn't flow the other way)

So when Churchill's historic foray into night racing on June 19 suffered a near meltdown because of steamy temperatures and unbearably long lines due to inadequate staffing, I immediately thought of Duchossois wandering the Arlington apron and talking to fans.

I don't know where the Churchill brass were most of that night, but I surmised it involved air conditioning and a luxury suite. But just when I was ready to slam racing's corporate overlord, Churchill issued a press release apologizing to fans for the long lines. They admitted there was a problem, took full blame, and promised to increase staffing and lower prices for the next edition of night racing.

Fans heard the message and they responded positively. Despite the loss of novelty, attendance barely dipped for night racing part two, from 28,011 on June 19 to 27,263 on June 26. And the Churchill brass was out in the crowd, sweating with them.

Chief operating officer Bill Carstanjen and General Manager Jim Gates each worked a three-hour shift in a beer trailer. CEO Robert Evans wandered the paddock area wearing a CEO helmet with beer cans attached to the side.

"It was fun and a great opportunity to interact with our customers," Gates said. "It was hot, very very hot, but it was good. We were serving while it was $1 beers and most people were thrilled with what a great deal it was and the shorter lines. There was not one complaint."

Churchill's adjustments from the first night saved one of the most exciting new ideas for racing in Kentucky.

The third and final edition of summer night racing 2009 is tonight. Being a Thursday and a holiday weekend, I assume attendance will go down, but there is no doubt that night racing at Churchill Downs is a winner.

"So far it’s been a huge success," Gates said. "We’ve got one more night, and we’ll see how successful that is. We’re gonna sit down after the meet is over. We’ll go back and look at the results and present something to our board of directors and they’ll make a decision whether they want to install pernmanent lights. So far the community has certainly embraced it."