afternoon of firsts for Hamilton, peterson, and mccraken

Randy Finegan’s Crackalacking not only won on debut Thursday afternoon at Keeneland, she provided a bevy of firsts for her human and equine connections. 

Breaking from the outside in a nine-horse field of debuting 2-year-olds, Crackalacking went right to the front and cruised to a 5-length victory at odds of 18-1. In doing so, she gave trainer Sarah Hamilton and jockey Ferrin Peterson their first Keeneland victories and gave her sire, McCraken, a winner with his first starter. 

Finegan purchased Crackalacking for $20,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Hamilton is familiar with McCraken, a three-time graded stakes winner who was third in the 2017 Toyota Blue Grass here. 

“I used to work for (trainer) Ian (Wilkes) when he had McCraken,” Hamilton said. “(Crackalacking) was not on my original list of horses (to inspect at the sale), but I added her.” 

Hamilton first stabled at Keeneland last spring with two horses. Now she has 10 horses in her shedrow with the majority being 2-year-olds. 

“I plan to stay here until Ellis (Park in Henderson, Kentucky, opens in July),” said Hamilton, who conditions $218,750 earner Edgemont Road and Circle Back Jack, most recently fourth in the Palisades (L) here on April 10. 

Crackalacking’s victory added another line to Peterson’s packed resume as a self-described “full-time jockey and part-time veterinarian.” 

Peterson breezes horses at Keeneland and nearby training centers until noon and spends her afternoons at a local equine veterinarian clinic when she is not scheduled to race. During the winter, her schedule flip-flopped with afternoons at the clinic and jockey duties during Turfway Park’s night racing. She plans to continue a similar agenda while pursuing mounts at Churchill Downs, Ellis and other area tracks. 

Peterson is familiar with Lexington life after working at Thoroughbred farms and Keeneland auctions before launching her jockey career in Northern California in 2018 while completing her degree at University of California, Davis. 

“I want to be in horse country with racehorses,” said Peterson, who made her Keeneland debut during the 2021 Spring Meet with one mount for trainer Graham Motion. “I have worked here on an off for eight years and can pursue both my passions here.”