McKinzie Back to Winning Ways in Triple Bend
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Photo: Benoit Photo
McKinzie wins the Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Away since his trip home from Saudi Arabia, Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's McKinzie returned to business June 7 and took the $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park in a hand ride from Mike Smith.
"This was a perfect out for him. He had a cozy post and he showed his class," trainer Bob Baffert said. "It was workmanlike, and this'll really move him up for next time."
Baffert said the Triple Bend served as a prep for the July 4 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park, a race in which McKinzie was the runner-up last summer.
The Triple Bend cut the 5-year-old son of Street Sense back to seven furlongs for the first time since winning the Malibu Stakes (G1) in December 2018. It was his second start of the season after finishing 11th in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack where he raced behind a wall of horses. Baffert said the horse lost weight from the trip and received a month off after returning stateside.
"We're happy he's back after that fiasco (in the Saudi Cup)," Baffert said. "He's been looking really good training, in all of his works. It's great to have him back."
"He is one of those throwback champions," Smith added. "They could run five-eighths of a mile or a mile and a quarter. He just seems to be able to do it all. It is just amazing some horses can do something like that."
McKinzie broke from the outside post as the 1-2 favorite in a field of five. He was fifth through the opening quarter-mile and fourth at the half-mile point as stablemate Ax Man showed the way with fractions of :23.59 and :46.13. Fashionably Fast showed speed out of the gate before settling in second, a half-length off Ax Man.
Smith made a three-wide bid on McKinzie as the field turned for home, and the bay moved to the front with ease. Fashionably Fast fought back, but McKinzie ultimately pulled ahead to win by 1 1/2 lengths. The final time on a fast track was 1:22.56.
Smith rode McKinzie in the horse's first 13 starts but was replaced by Joel Rosario in the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), when McKinzie was second. Rosario also rode McKinzie in the Saudi Cup while Smith was second aboard champion mare Midnight Bisou, another regular mount of his.
The jockey was happy to be reunited with McKinzie.
"They all had class in there. You never know when a class horse is going to jump up and run, so I have a lot of respect for all of them. The wonderful thing about McKinzie is he had me in the game early, and I mean he was ready to pounce at all times," Smith said. "It wasn't like I had to make up a whole lot of ground to get to him or anything. I was able to get on by and hold his way. He got a great race out of that. I want to thank the owners and Bob for reuniting us again. You can't wipe this smile off my face."
Fashionably Fast held off Dark Vader by a neck for second. Flagstaff was fourth and Ax Man faded to fifth.
Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm, McKinzie is out of the multiple grade 2-winning Petionville mare Runway Model. He was purchased under the name Three Amigos for $170,000 from Lane's End's consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
McKinzie's record improved to eight wins and six seconds from 16 starts. The four-time grade 1 winner has earned $3,438,560.
"He is not only extremely talented, he's a thinker, too, and I just love riding him," said Smith, who last summer won the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course with the horse. "He's a lot of fun to ride. He will be a different horse—sometimes he'll be close to the lead, next time he may be way back, so you're always trying to figure him out.
"We have this little thing, me and him, for some odd reason. I just feel good on him. We are a good pair. Of course, a lot of people would make a good pair with him. He's a great horse."