SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024) — Ken McPeek came into the 28^th running of the $150,000 Cardinal Handicap Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Horseshoe Indianapolis with the favored Corningstone. A couple of scratches in the field moved his other entrant, Under the Palms, into the race and that horse turned out to be the one visiting the winner’s circle. Under the Palms, under the guidance of Colby Hernandez for the first time in a race, scored the upset victory at odds of 21-1.
 
Starting from post 11 in the field of 11 was the first challenge for Under the Palms, who was able to smoothly move out and find a spot in mid pack heading into the first turn. Forever Pink and Joe Ramos rallied out a little harder from post 10 and was able to secure the second spot on the outside of Bluelightspecial and Emmanuel Esquivel through the first turn of the one and one-sixteenth mile event. Heading down the backstretch, Under the Palms moved up three-wide beside Forever Pink and the two horses moved in unison through the final turn.
 
Corningstone and Julien Leparoux made a strong move in the final turn to join the top two with three horses across the track at the head of the lane. Corningstone dug in gamely to get by the top two but could not make up any ground. Under the Palms got the best of Forever Pink, who came right back to retake the lead midway through the stretch. Both horses were in a fierce battle to the wire, but Under the Palms was able to gain the advantage in the final strides to win by a neck over Forever Pink. Corningstone was a length back in third.
 
Under the Palms paid $44.20 for her second career win and her first in handicap action. The Enticed three-year-old filly is owned by Daniel McGreevy’s Tilted Shamrock Stables. Ken McPeek trains the filly, who was a $105,000 purchase from the Fasig Tipton Summer Yearling sale in 2022 from Justice Farm. She now has two wins in nine career starts after beginning her racing career last year at two at Saratoga. She now has more than $210,000 on her card for her connections.
 
“She (Under the Palms) got a really good break and put me in a good spot down the backside,” said Hernandez, who has been on her a lot for McPeek during training but was aboard for the first time in a race. “She put me in the race, and she carried me nice the entire way.”
 
The time of the race was 1:45.10. It was the second win in the Cardinal for McPeek, who won the second running with Clever Tish in 1998 when the race was held at Hoosier Park.
 
The 22^nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Thursday, Nov. 14. Racing is held at 2:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. One additional all-Quarter Horse racing day is set for 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find the track on Social Media @HSIndyRacing.