A horse player that subscribes to the “due theory,” also known as gambler’s fallacy, might be taking a long look at trainer Ken McPeek and his 2-year-old filly Princess Warrior in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
McPeek, who has been a professional racehorse trainer since the mid ’80s and has won more than 1,500 races at a 15 percent clip, is zero for 28 in the Breeders’ Cup. He has to win at some point, right?
Discard the due theory as a road to ruin but do not overlook Princess Warrior as a long shot possibility based on her ability. The daughter of Midshipman broke her maiden like a pro on Sept. 16 at Churchill Downs, flying home in the final quarter to win by a length and a half.
Her second start was the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland Oct. 6. She drew the rail and was bet down to the 3 / 2 favorite in a 10 horse field. Princess Warrior was shuffled back and taken a bit wide while eventual winner Heavenly Love, who had the 9 post, sat a length off a less-than-rapid pace. Gio Game, also in the BC Juvenile Fillies, ran that same day and distance at Keeneland and recorded a faster final time in a race with slightly slower early fractions. She was right on the pace. Watch the Acibiades here. Princess Warrior is #1 and Heavenly Love is #9.
Princess Warrior closed in the Alcibiades to lose by 5 ½ lengths.
Heavenly Love is 9/2 and Princess Warrior is 12 to 1 on the morning line Saturday. The favorite is Moonshine Memories at 7/2. She is undefeated in three races with two of them taking place at Del Mar and also prefers to be on the early pace. There is plenty of early speed, and the pressure should be hot, that could benefit a closer like Princess Warrior and provide McPeek with his first visit to the Breeders’ Cup winner’s circle.
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies is the fourth race on the Saturday card and the first of nine Breeders’ Cup events.
by J. Maday
