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Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey met up with famed racehorse trainer Kenny McPeek at Churchill Downs this week ahead of the Kentucky Derby. McPeek is getting set to participate in the 151st edition of the event.
Kelsey linked up with the Kentucky grad on Tuesday for a photo op with McPeek and his Louisville Cardinals wife, Sherri. The trainer took a moment to hit the coach with an “L’s Down” as they posed for the picture.
Funny moment between Pat Kelsey and the McPeeks.
The 2024 Derby and Oaks winning trainer (a huge UK fan) with the
“L’s down” while taking a pic with Kelsey and his wife Sherri who is a Louisville fan. @WLKY pic.twitter.com/aVHbLA4PAr— Preston Harvey (@Pharveytv) April 29, 2025
Kenny McPeek graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1985. He then entered into the family business.
McPeek’s father owned several thoroughbreds during Kenny’s childhood. His son began overseeing a few of those runners. The rest is history.
McPeek has become one of the most notable and wealthiest racehorse trainers in North America. He’s banked more than $135 million in career earnings. His net worth is estimated to sit around $150 million.
The trainer’s won more than 2,000 races. That includes a victory with Mystik Dan at last year’s event.
He actually wasn’t expecting to have a dog in the fight at the Kentucky Derby this time around. His horse Render Judgement, which is one of the last horses owned by Toby Keith’s family, sat at No. 21 on the Derby leaderboard for the 20-horse race.
An injury to Tappan Street led to an opening. Kenny McPeek will now look to win the event once again.
Kenny McPeek is also training a horse named after Pat Kelsey…
Though he insists it wasn’t his doing!
“We’ve got a two-year-old colt in Ocala,” he said. “Craig Mackin is the primary principal owner there. He named him after Pat Kelsey. Craig and I, we gig each other because I’m a UK fan and he’s obviously strong U of L. It’s fun… We’ll bring [Kelz] to Churchill and let the coach get his picture taken.”
Kelsey was able to meet up with McPeek ahead of the Kentucky Derby. He brought along some Cardinals gear in hopes of “flipping” the Kentucky fanatic.
Those attempts will likely be unsuccessful, though we might see McPeek don some red should Kelz make it to the big stage. For now, his focus is on Render Judgement.
The 2025 Kentucky Derby is set to start at 6:57 PM ET on Saturday. We’ll see if Kenny McPeek can emerge victorious once again.