McKinzie, Mitole, and Bast Breeze for Breeders' Cup

Three leading Breeders' Cup contenders—McKinzie, Mitole, and Bast—added excitement to a relatively quiet weekday morning Oct. 22 at Santa Anita Park by recording fast workouts in advance of the Nov. 1-2 Breeders' Cup World Championships at the Southern California track.

McKinzie, preparing for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), breezed seven furlongs in 1:24 2/5, while Bast and Mitole went five furlongs apiece in 1:01 and :58 4/5, respectively. Bast is pointed toward the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Mitole, whose Tuesday work came from the gate, goes in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).

"It takes an exceptional horse to do what (McKinzie) and Mitole did today on this racetrack," said McKinzie's trainer, Bob Baffert. "I've always thought McKinzie was a top-caliber horse."

Baffert compared the drill from McKinizie to those often turned in by Arrogate , his champion 3-year-old of 2016 who won the Travers Stakes (G1) and Classic that year. His aim was to prepare McKinzie with a stout workout, similar to the colt's training prior to winning the Whitney Stakes (G1) this summer at Saratoga Race Course.

In the breeze McKinzie was ridden by California rider Rafael Bejarano, who asked him to finish under vigorous hand urging. East Coast-based Joel Rosario will be aboard for the Classic, replacing Mike Smith, who rode the horse in all 13 starts to date.

A 4-year-old son of Street Sense  owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, McKinzie has twice raced the 1 1/4-mile Classic distance, running 12th in the 2018 Classic at Churchill Downs and second, beaten a nose, in the April 6 Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1).

Mitole's workout, his first gate move since he was a 2-year-old in 2017, was similarly meant to result in a quick clocking. The 4-year-old son of Eskendereya is unraced since winning the Aug. 24 Forego Stakes Presented by Encore Boston Harbor (G1) at Saratoga, and trainer Steve Asmussen felt he needed to do more with him than if he had started more recently.

"We're 'all in' for the final race of his racing career before he deservedly goes to stud," Asmussen said.

Mitole will stand in 2020 at Spendthrift Farm for a stud fee to be determined after the Breeders' Cup. He is a three-time grade 1 winner in 2019, having also taken the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and the Churchill Downs Stakes presented by Twinspires.com (G1).

Although she didn't light up the clock like her older counterparts, 2-year-old filly Bast also pleased Baffert with her breeze, outfinishing workmate Hot Sean by several lengths at the wire and by a larger margin on the gallop out.

"She can be a little bit lazy," he said of breezing her in company.

Baoma Corporation's Bast is the only 2-year-old filly in the country with more than a single grade 1 victory this year. A daughter of Uncle Mo , she won the Del Mar Debutante (G1) by 8 3/4 lengths at seven furlongs before winning by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, her first route.

Also Tuesday, Belvoir Bay and Stormy Liberal breezed at San Luis Rey Downs for trainer Peter Miller in preparation for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). Belvoir Bay, a 6-year-old mare, worked five furlongs in 1:00 3/5, while Stormy Liberal, winner of the Turf Sprint the past two years, breezed a half-mile in :49 1/5. Last year's champion turf horse, he is winless in six starts in 2019.

Pre entries for the Breeders' Cup races are set to be released Oct. 23. Entries and post positions are drawn Oct. 28.