Confident McPeek Ready for Travers with Repent

Trainer Kenny McPeek is ready to show the world that Repent is back and better than ever. McPeek will get that chance on Saturday when Repent takes on a field of seven in the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga.

"I have every bit of confidence in Repent going into this race," the trainer said. "He deserves the chance to prove he's one of the better 3-year-olds in the country and I am very excited to be running him at a mile and a quarter."

Repent came out of Sunday's five furlong work of 1:00 2/5 handily in good shape, according to McPeek.

Edgar Prado will have the mount on Repent for the Travers.

Repent has not started he was second behind War Emblem in the Illinois Derby (gr. II), and will have only four workouts leading up to the Travers.

"He's done well off a layoff before. He won the Risen Star with nearly three months between starts," the conditioner said.

Sizing up the potential Travers field, McPeek said other than Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) winner Medaglia d' Oro getting away early he has no real worries entering the race.

"You can't go into a race worrying about other horses. You've just got to hope that your horse runs his race and does the best that he can. And I think Repent will run his race," McPeek said.

Expected to challenge Repent in the Travers is Gold Dollar (Jorge Chavez), Medaglia d' Oro (TBA), Like a Hero (Laffit Pincay, Jr.), Nothing Flat (TBA), Quest (Javier Castellano), Saint Marden (Mike Smith), Shah Jehan (John Velazquez), and Puzzlement (Jean-Luc Samyn).

In other news from the McPeek barn, Ashland Stakes (gr. I) winner Take Charge Lady is progressing nicely and could make her return in the Sept. 7 Gazelle Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park. Take Charge Lady breezed five furlongs in :59 2/5 on Sunday.

"We want to get two more breezes into her and then make a decision on when and where she'll come back."