McKinzie

McKinzie, owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman and trained by Bob Baffert, emerged as a trendy 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve future wager pick in his very first start on Oct. 28 at Santa Anita Park, when he romped by 5 ½ lengths under Mike Smith in a seven-furlong maiden race.

The Street Sense colt returned in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity on Dec. 9 and, after battling gamely with two rivals through the stretch, was elevated to first when Solomini, also trained by Baffert, was disqualified to third. He earned 10 qualifying points for the 2018 Kentucky Derby with the effort. McKinzie continued to progress on the Kentucky Derby trail with a visually impressive win in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Jan. 6. Baffert removed his blinkers for the race and the bay colt relaxed nicely off the pace, moved up to seize command from pacesetter All Out Blitz in the stretch, and powered clear to a dominant victory.

McKinzie made his next start on the road to the Kentucky Derby in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, where he locked horns with Grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro in the stretch and battled him stride for stride to the Santa Anita Park finish line. McKinzie edged that rival by a head but subsequently was disqualified and placed second for interference after there was bumping between the top-two finishers entering the stretch and again near the finish line.

McKinzie missed the Triple Crown races, which were swept by stablemate Justify, due to a leg injury. Baffert was patient in bringing the colt back, and he returned with a bravura performance in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 22, winning by 1 ¾ lengths. That set McKinzie up for a start in a loaded Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, where he was sent off as one of the favorites at 3.90-1 odds. McKinzie was prominent early but faded badly to finish 12^th of 14 in a puzzling performance.

In his next start, McKinzie put all questions about his form to rest with a resounding comeback effort, romping in the Grade 1, seven-furlong Malibu Stakes by 4 ¾ lengths on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Making his 2019 debut in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita, McKinzie finished second by a half-length to Grade 1 winner Battle of Midway. He then put forth another winning effort only to fall short yet again, dueling furiously with Gift Box through the stretch of the April 6 Santa Anita Handicap before losing by a nose. McKinzie earned his first win of the year in the Alysheba Stakes on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, grabbing the lead early and then relinquishing it to Tom's d'Etat before striding past that rival at the top of the stretch to win by 4 3/4 lengths.

McKinzie returned in the Grade 1 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, also known as the Met Mile, on June 8 at Belmont Park and encountered some traffic trouble before rallying to finish a fast-closing second behind Mitole.

McKinzie was back to his absolute peak in his next start, charging clear in the stretch of the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes en route to a 1 3/4-length win Aug. 3 at Saratoga. A Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" race, the Whitney gave McKinzie an automatic starting spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic. In his final prep for the Breeders' Cup, McKinzie pressed pacesetter Mongolian Groom in the Sept. 28 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita Park but he did not fire when called upon as the 25-1 longshot pulled away from McKinzie to post the upset. McKinzie finished second by 2 3/4 lengths as the 3-10 favorite.

Returning to Santa Anita for the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic McKinzie ran a commendable second behind Vino Rosso, leading in early stretch and holding on to finish well clear of third-place finisher Higher Power.

Baffert and the ownership group have teamed together to win major races in years past with horses such as Midnight Lute, Lookin At Lucky, and Hoppertunity.