BloodHorse
December 31, 2022
Favorite Defining Purpose capped a four-win day for trainer Kenny McPeek that included both stakes with her dominating victory in the $150,000 Year's End Stakes at Oaklawn Park as the 2-1 favorite.
Defining Purpose was eager to run early as she tracked Unifying through fractions of :23.68 and :47.86 for the first half mile from fourth while pulling strongly against jockey David Cabrera. The winner moved to the outside and came four wide entering the stretching before drawing clear to win easily by 5 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:39.23 for one mile over a fast track.
“She only should improve off this, and it didn’t look like it taxed her too much, either," McPeek said. "I’m sure we’ll come back in the next (stakes) for the 3-year-old fillies," referring to the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes Jan. 28 at Oaklawn.
Defining Purpose, the 2-year-old Cross Traffic filly, was winning for the second time in four career starts and has now earned $157,088 for owners Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre, and James Ball.
