November 7, 2025 • 7 mins
Thoroughbred trainer Kenny McPeek has well over 2,000 victories at racetracks around world. His greatest weekend came on the first Friday and Saturday in May 2024, winning both the Kentucky Oaks (Thorpedo Anna) and the Kentucky Derby (Mystic Dan).
McPeek's Derby champ is set to retire to stud this weekend. Terry Meiners and Kenny McPeek discussed the horse's less-than-stellar ride in Arkansas that ultimately earned him access to the Derby. History was in the making.
McPeek's Derby champ is set to retire to stud this weekend. Terry Meiners and Kenny McPeek discussed the horse's less-than-stellar ride in Arkansas that ultimately earned him access to the Derby. History was in the making.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
One of America's favorite horse trainers, of course, is Kenny McPeak.
He's had so many things happen over two thousand wins
at the racetrack. Nothing more amazing though, than the year
of the one hundred and fiftieth Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks,
because you, Kenny McPeak, were the winning trainer both times.
It's great to talk to you again.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
First off, yeah, thanks for having me Terry.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Well, okay, Thorpede and she had her little parade not
too long ago and we all loved that girl. And
so now what is happening this weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well, you know, Mystic Bands being retired, which is you know,
it's a good thing. I always say that that racing
horses is kind of like surfing. You go out and
try to catch big waves and they all come to shore.
And in this case, he is at the end of
his racing career and he's going to transition over to
(00:53):
being a stallion and we're excited about that, you know,
with the Breeders Cup, and unfortunately the decision was made
not to run him by the State Vets. He's got
a he had a little ankle, you know, like it's
like anything. I mean, all of us. As we get older,
we get a lakes and pains, and he had a
little thing that on a scale of ten, it was
a one or two, but it was the right move
not to run. And we're gonna send him off to
(01:15):
his next job.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Which is a pleasant job, it seems from the videos
that we've all seen over the years. For sure, mystic Dan.
I think, uh is it the fourth race at Churchill
on Saturday, and we'll we'll see him parade around and
everybody gets to see him and send him off exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
We're just gonna walk him over, getting some spins through
the paddock, you know, let people get the last look.
My staff is gonna get to get get a chance
to spend some time around him. They've put a lot
of time and energy into him, and it's as much
for them as it is others. And you know, we're
real proud of everything he's done, and between him and Torpedo,
it's been one of those magical rides and something will
(01:57):
probably I'm sure we'll never experience again. And you know,
we're gonna give him a proper sendoff.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
How many days did that buzz stay on you? After
that amazing weekend at Churchill Downs. I mean, did you
know it didn't just go away on Sunday. I mean
it had to hang with you for a while. You
had to be in shock.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm still on it. I'm still on that high. I
mean it's amazing. You know, a huge amount of work
goes into all that, and a team effort certainly not
not a one man show whatsoever, and so many people involved.
And you know, whether it's the owners that help you
make the decisions or allow you to or the staff
(02:35):
that gets out there and you know they're in there
getting their hands dirty. Well, I'm doing all the thinking
and and for itt all to come together. I think
the most satisfying part of Mystic Dan is for me
really easy. I don't know how many people realize that
that I bought his mother. I pressed the ownership to
keep her. Then I did the mating and decided who
(02:59):
she was bred to, and then we folder at Magdalena,
we raised him, we put the first saddle on him.
I mean, this is a get from from the point
A to point Z to win the Kentucky Derby with
a horse. So I don't think that'll ever be replicated either.
That's that's you know, as a horseman, that's the the
(03:21):
ultimate prize to do all that. And I don't actually
don't know that people really giving me much credit for
all of it. I think most people be happy to
be touching horse at any of those stages, much less
to have done every stage. Yeah, I'm just It's just
something I've always dreamed of doing.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Anyway, what about now, I'm going to change the subject
to any quickly. Here with the intrusiveness of a Netflix
show where you you all a sudden you and sherrier
and everybody's faces and everywhere you go people bring that
up as though you've had no other history. Was that weird?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, a little bite. The funny thing about it is
that we weren't really supposed to be in it. They
called me the last minute I had. I had, uh
you know, mistic Dan won the Southwest and then we
said on him and waited for the Arkansas Derby and
they said it's okay if we wire you for that
day and I'm like, yeah, I'm pretty easygo and yeah, sure,
(04:19):
no problem, let's do it. And they followed us all
day started that morning and I told him, I said,
you know, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna act. I'm
just couldna be me. And if you if you like it, fine,
and if you don't, I'm okay with it. And uh,
then we proceeded to win four races on the card,
and you know that was a lot of fun, of course.
(04:41):
And then then he he actually didn't Mystic Dan didn't
have a great trip in the Arkansas Derby, but he
had a he had a good enough placing to punch
his ticket to Kentucky. It's really all we wanted. But
I think people got an inside view of of us
as a team and a family, and and and then
they said, well, can we do it next race? And
(05:02):
I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever I mean. And next thing,
you know, we kind of stole the show.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah you did. And that day I talked to you
a few hours. I think I was watching the race
with you, the eighth race of Derby day. Did you
feel in your gut that Mystic Dan had it or
you know you already referenced the Arkansas. Did you feel
like he's primed right now or this is a crap shoot?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, no, I knew he was primed, but also knew
that he had to have the right trip. He was
a horse that we thought had to have the perfect
you know trip by the jockey, and you know, Brian
Hernandez gets all the credit there. We talked about it.
I said, you know, you're gonna have to gamble inside
and gamble the whole opens. But the cool thing about
(05:46):
Mystic Dan is he's like a little Maserati. When the
hole opened and you pressed the button, he said go,
and that that's the credit to the horse. But Brian
put him in the position where he could get through
there and had the guts to get through there. And
of course, you know, we got to the wire first,
and some say we should have never beaten a couple
of those others, but we did, so we're not going
(06:09):
to give it back.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
You're one a few trainers who's won every stage of
the Triple Crown and that's just amazing Kenny McPeak, So
continued success to you. And I know we're going to
celebrate Mystic Dan this weekend, but we're gonna keep celebrating
you in many many years. You're gonna be like your
buddy Dee Wayne Lucas, God rest his soul. I know
you you love that guy, but you're gonna hang in
here a long time. You're not gonna You're not gonna
(06:32):
fade away soon.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, I hope not. I'm when am I going to
get a horse for the Miners family? I mean, he
and Mike have been talking about it and I ran
into him. I ran into him at dinner I think
it was in Lexington recently, and I said, we need,
we need to do something about that. So I probably
need to press press him a little harder, or maybe
I don't, but we talked to me A good family
(06:54):
thing to do.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
You're right, there are enough siblings in our family at
fifty bucks each ought to get a done.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Kenny, A lot of pressure.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Is great talking to you, buddy. Congratulations on Mystic Dan
and Torpedo and just the amazing run you're having. Continued success.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Thanks Terran.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Sold On, Kenny. Thanks buddy, You're welcome
One of America's favorite horse trainers, of course, is Kenny McPeak.
He's had so many things happen over two thousand wins
at the racetrack. Nothing more amazing though, than the year
of the one hundred and fiftieth Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks,
because you, Kenny McPeak, were the winning trainer both times.
It's great to talk to you again.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
First off, yeah, thanks for having me Terry.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Well, okay, Thorpede and she had her little parade not
too long ago and we all loved that girl. And
so now what is happening this weekend.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well, you know, Mystic Bands being retired, which is you know,
it's a good thing. I always say that that racing
horses is kind of like surfing. You go out and
try to catch big waves and they all come to shore.
And in this case, he is at the end of
his racing career and he's going to transition over to
(00:53):
being a stallion and we're excited about that, you know,
with the Breeders Cup, and unfortunately the decision was made
not to run him by the State Vets. He's got
a he had a little ankle, you know, like it's
like anything. I mean, all of us. As we get older,
we get a lakes and pains, and he had a
little thing that on a scale of ten, it was
a one or two, but it was the right move
not to run. And we're gonna send him off to
(01:15):
his next job.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Which is a pleasant job, it seems from the videos
that we've all seen over the years. For sure, mystic Dan.
I think, uh is it the fourth race at Churchill
on Saturday, and we'll we'll see him parade around and
everybody gets to see him and send him off exactly.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
We're just gonna walk him over, getting some spins through
the paddock, you know, let people get the last look.
My staff is gonna get to get get a chance
to spend some time around him. They've put a lot
of time and energy into him, and it's as much
for them as it is others. And you know, we're
real proud of everything he's done, and between him and Torpedo,
it's been one of those magical rides and something will
(01:57):
probably I'm sure we'll never experience again. And you know,
we're gonna give him a proper sendoff.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
How many days did that buzz stay on you? After
that amazing weekend at Churchill Downs. I mean, did you
know it didn't just go away on Sunday. I mean
it had to hang with you for a while. You
had to be in shock.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I'm still on it. I'm still on that high. I
mean it's amazing. You know, a huge amount of work
goes into all that, and a team effort certainly not
not a one man show whatsoever, and so many people involved.
And you know, whether it's the owners that help you
make the decisions or allow you to or the staff
(02:35):
that gets out there and you know they're in there
getting their hands dirty. Well, I'm doing all the thinking
and and for itt all to come together. I think
the most satisfying part of Mystic Dan is for me
really easy. I don't know how many people realize that
that I bought his mother. I pressed the ownership to
keep her. Then I did the mating and decided who
(02:59):
she was bred to, and then we folder at Magdalena,
we raised him, we put the first saddle on him.
I mean, this is a get from from the point
A to point Z to win the Kentucky Derby with
a horse. So I don't think that'll ever be replicated either.
That's that's you know, as a horseman, that's the the
(03:21):
ultimate prize to do all that. And I don't actually
don't know that people really giving me much credit for
all of it. I think most people be happy to
be touching horse at any of those stages, much less
to have done every stage. Yeah, I'm just It's just
something I've always dreamed of doing.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Anyway, what about now, I'm going to change the subject
to any quickly. Here with the intrusiveness of a Netflix
show where you you all a sudden you and sherrier
and everybody's faces and everywhere you go people bring that
up as though you've had no other history. Was that weird?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, a little bite. The funny thing about it is
that we weren't really supposed to be in it. They
called me the last minute I had. I had, uh
you know, mistic Dan won the Southwest and then we
said on him and waited for the Arkansas Derby and
they said it's okay if we wire you for that
day and I'm like, yeah, I'm pretty easygo and yeah, sure,
(04:19):
no problem, let's do it. And they followed us all
day started that morning and I told him, I said,
you know, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna act. I'm
just couldna be me. And if you if you like it, fine,
and if you don't, I'm okay with it. And uh,
then we proceeded to win four races on the card,
and you know that was a lot of fun, of course.
(04:41):
And then then he he actually didn't Mystic Dan didn't
have a great trip in the Arkansas Derby, but he
had a he had a good enough placing to punch
his ticket to Kentucky. It's really all we wanted. But
I think people got an inside view of of us
as a team and a family, and and and then
they said, well, can we do it next race? And
(05:02):
I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever I mean. And next thing,
you know, we kind of stole the show.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah you did. And that day I talked to you
a few hours. I think I was watching the race
with you, the eighth race of Derby day. Did you
feel in your gut that Mystic Dan had it or
you know you already referenced the Arkansas. Did you feel
like he's primed right now or this is a crap shoot?
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, no, I knew he was primed, but also knew
that he had to have the right trip. He was
a horse that we thought had to have the perfect
you know trip by the jockey, and you know, Brian
Hernandez gets all the credit there. We talked about it.
I said, you know, you're gonna have to gamble inside
and gamble the whole opens. But the cool thing about
(05:46):
Mystic Dan is he's like a little Maserati. When the
hole opened and you pressed the button, he said go,
and that that's the credit to the horse. But Brian
put him in the position where he could get through
there and had the guts to get through there. And
of course, you know, we got to the wire first,
and some say we should have never beaten a couple
of those others, but we did, so we're not going
(06:09):
to give it back.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
You're one a few trainers who's won every stage of
the Triple Crown and that's just amazing Kenny McPeak, So
continued success to you. And I know we're going to
celebrate Mystic Dan this weekend, but we're gonna keep celebrating
you in many many years. You're gonna be like your
buddy Dee Wayne Lucas, God rest his soul. I know
you you love that guy, but you're gonna hang in
here a long time. You're not gonna You're not gonna
(06:32):
fade away soon.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Well, I hope not. I'm when am I going to
get a horse for the Miners family? I mean, he
and Mike have been talking about it and I ran
into him. I ran into him at dinner I think
it was in Lexington recently, and I said, we need,
we need to do something about that. So I probably
need to press press him a little harder, or maybe
I don't, but we talked to me A good family
(06:54):
thing to do.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
You're right, there are enough siblings in our family at
fifty bucks each ought to get a done.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Kenny, A lot of pressure.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Is great talking to you, buddy. Congratulations on Mystic Dan
and Torpedo and just the amazing run you're having. Continued success.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Thanks Terran.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Sold On, Kenny. Thanks buddy, You're welcome
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage
Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ top military decoration. The stories we tell are about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, uncover what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you’ve become a hero. Special thanks to series creator Dan McGinn, to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Adam Plumpton. Medal of Honor begins on May 28. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear ad-free episodes one week early. Find Pushkin+ on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com