McKinzie, Solomini Put in Works at Santa Anita

Two colts on the Triple Crown trail with very different personalities got works in Feb. 3 at Santa Anita Park for trainer Bob Baffert.

First up was Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman's undefeated McKinzie, who got his second work since his Jan. 6 Sham Stakes (G3) score. Outside of stablemate Downtowner and under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, the Street Sense  colt broke off about a length and a half behind in the backstretch and moved alongside late in the stretch to hit the wire in :49 2/5 for a half-mile.

Baffert called the drill a "maintenance work" and said McKinzie is already in racing shape.

"He's ready to run. I could run him tomorrow," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "He's pretty fit right now, so I'm going really easy with him."

Baffert said both the March 10 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita or the March 17 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park are possible race targets for McKinzie, and he's been impressed both with how the bay colt has developed mentally and how he's shown grit when asked for his best.

Stablemate Solomini beat him to the wire in the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (G1), but was disqualified for interference with third-place finisher Instilled Regard, who went on to win the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. McKinzie, on the inside of the trio, dug in to finish second and was elevated to first after the DQ.

"He just gutted it out going a mile and a sixteenth second time out against good horses," Baffert said. "He's passed the gut check. He was not going to let Instilled Regard past him. He's just so professional, that horse."

Baffert also likes the signs Zayat Stables' Solomini has shown him recently, although the sometimes unruly son of Curlin  still has some growing pains to overcome. The chestnut colt also worked in company Saturday, with stablemate Hot Sean, and ran a half-mile in :48 3/5. His run was nearly identical to McKinzie's, as he also broke about a length and a half behind and moved alongside his workmate at the wire under Van Dyke.

The Futurity was just one example of some of Solomini's idiosyncrasies, as he came in late to make contact with Instilled Regard in the stretch and had some issues switching leads.

BALAN: McKinzie Wins Los Al Futurity Via Solomini's DQ

"He's very erratic, but he's actually doing a lot better," Baffert said. "I've seen some improvement. It's just immaturity—looking all over the place, late to change leads. He went all right today. He's a little lazy. He's tough to train.

"He's just not a really willing guy. If he was a football player or baseball player—he doesn't like to practice. He's not a practice guy. He likes the afternoon better."

Solomini's work Saturday was his first of 2018, but second since the Futurity. After a work Dec. 28, Baffert had to delay the colt's training a bit because he spiked a fever.