22-06-2025
'I DID IT!': Ken McPeek Marks Derby-Oaks Double With Tattoo
'I DID IT!': Ken McPeek Marks Derby-Oaks Double With Tattoo originally appeared on Paulick Report.
Trainer Ken McPeek made history last year when he pulled off the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double, winning with Thorpedo Anna and Mystik Dan. Now, the veteran Lexington, Ky., horseman has permanently marked the accomplishment — with a tattoo.
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'I always said that if I ever won the Kentucky Derby, I would get a Tattoo. Derby Oaks Double 2024. I DID IT!!,' McPeek said in a post on X.
Some commenters on the post questioned whether the tattoo was real—or if it was even McPeek in the photo. But the trainer quickly shut down the speculation with a follow-up post.
'If you have any doubts, this isn't AI,' McPeek wrote.
To further put doubts to rest, McPeek used X's AI tool, Grok, to respond to a now-deleted comment. The tool analyzed the image and confirmed its authenticity, noting that the tattoo celebrated McPeek's 2024 Kentucky Derby and Oaks victories and aligned with verified historical records. No evidence suggested the image was AI-generated.
For the most part, the online response was overwhelmingly supportive and positive.
Jockey Rajiv Maragh even joined in with a playful question.
McPeek was the first trainer to pull off the Oaks-Derby double since 1952, when the legendary Ben Jones achieved it with Real Delight in the Oaks and Hill Gail in the Derby — both ridden by Hall of Famer Eddie Arcaro. Jones also won both races in 1949, and Herbert "Derby Dick" Thompson accomplished the fear in 1933.
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Looking ahead, both of McPeek's stars will return to action at Churchill Downs next Saturday. Thorpedo Anna will aim to bounce back in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, while Mystik Dan will try to make it two in a row in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster. Both races are 'Win and You're In' qualifiers for the Breeders' Cup Distaff and Classic, respectively.
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
