Baffert Breezes McKinzie in Preparation for Saudi Cup

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) runner-up McKinzie, breezed seven furlongs in 1:25 1/5 Feb. 11 at Santa Anita Park, as Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert prepares him and stablemate Mucho Gusto for the $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh Feb. 29.

"They ship out of here on the 18th," Baffert said via telephone from California. "We're tightening the screws now. So far he looks great. Mucho Gusto came out of his race great, too."

A four-time grade 1-winning son of Street Sense , McKinzie is unraced this year following a 2019 campaign in which he won two graded stakes and was second in five others for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman.

Prince Faisal Bin Khaled's Mucho Gusto, a 4-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man , won his first grade 1 when he captured the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. Mucho Gusto breezed five furlongs in 1:02 Feb. 8 at Santa Anita in his first workout since the Pegasus. 

Benbatl, Midnight Bisou, Maximum Security, Gronkowski, Magic Wand, Chrysoberyl,  Gold Dream, and Tacitus are other possible Saudi Cup starters, according to a social media post from Saudi officials.

Baffert added that Nadal, a short-priced winner in the seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes (G2) Feb. 9, exited the race in good condition, and would be considered for a number of qualifying stakes on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, along with his other leading 3-year-olds, fellow graded stakes winners Thousand Words and Authentic.

"They're all going to be nominated to all the preps from here on out. Just whoever is doing great that week will ship," he said. "But right now with Nadal, I'm looking at the Rebel. That seems like the logical spot for him."

The Rebel Stakes (G2) is a $1 million, 1 1/16-mile dirt race at Oaklawn Park March 14, a stakes race Baffert has won six times, including with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah  in 2015.

In future-wager betting that closed Sunday about a half-hour before his San Vicente score, Nadal—a Blame  colt owned by George Bolton, Arthur Hoyeau, Barry Lipman, and Mark Mathiesen—was narrowly the shortest price among individual betting interests for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) May 2 at Churchill Downs. He was bet down to 8-1 odds, just shorter than Holy Bull (G3) winner Tiz the Law.

Authentic and Thousand Words were also popular Derby choices at 15-1 and 16-1, respectively. Both horses are tentatively pointed toward the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) March 7 at Santa Anita.

Eight Rings, winner of the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) last year at 2, is set to breeze sometime this week after being given time off in December and January, the trainer said. The window is narrowing for him to prep for the Derby.

"I don't have a schedule for him yet," Baffert said.

Turning to the 3-year-old filly division, Baffert has backed off the training of Bast, who tops the points leaderboard for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill May 1. The three-time grade 1 winner breezed Jan. 18 after winning the Jan. 5 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) in her seasonal debut at Santa Anita but has not returned since to the worktab.

"She's still in training; I just haven't breezed her," he said. "I just gave her a little freshening there, just light training."