Frac Daddy makes turf debut in comeback at Saratoga

Arkansas Derby runner-up Frac Daddy will run for the first

time Saturday since making the pace for a half-mile before fading to last of 14

runners in the Belmont Stakes on June 8.

After finishing second at 23-1 in the Arkansas Derby,

trainer Ken McPeek entered Frac Daddy in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished

16th, and then came the Belmont.

The son of Scat Daddy has been working and galloping

steadily at Saratoga for his return, and will run on the grass for the first

time in the

8TH race, a first-level allowance.

"We've trained him over the turf course here (at Saratoga's Oklahoma training track), and he acts like he likes it," McPeek said Thursday

morning as Frac Daddy was out for a gallop over the Oklahoma dirt.

"The horse is

a real physical animal; he's real strong and does everything right. He's tricky

to ride in a race, and if things don't go his way, he's problematic. It's a good

time to try him on grass."

Frac Daddy has tantalized McPeek with his talent. The colt

finished a neck second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes in his third career start

behind Canadian Horse of the Year and eventual Prince of Wales winner Uncaptured. Taken to Florida, Frac

Daddy baffled McPeek with a dull sixth-place finish in the Holy Bull,

and then finished seventh in the Florida Derby.

He rebounded in the Arkansas Derby, but then turned in two

non-threatening outings.

"He's a bit of an enigma, but we can all be, can't we?"

McPeek noted. "We've just got to figure him out.

"We've been too ambitious with

him, honestly. There are times I've relegated him to a morning glory because he

can outwork about any horse I have in the morning, when there's no dirt in his

face and he's in cruising mode. He has been known to outwork (2012 Travers

dead-heat winner) Golden Ticket on a regular basis; he outworks Atigun. Then, when we

put him in a tough spot, he melts down a little bit. But maybe the grass is a

good spot."

Frac Daddy is listed at 8-1 on the morning-line for his return to competition. His

five-year-old half-brother, Lemon Drop Red, has won twice over the turf in Europe.

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