By Margaret Ransom
McKinzie – Contributed by Laura Green / Saudi Arabia Jockey Club
With so many of trainer Bob Baffert’s stars headed to the breeding shed earlier than fans would probably like, it’s nice to see McKinzie stick around for a 5-year-old campaign.
Almost as soon as the $20 million purse for the Saudi Cup was announced, Baffert was indicating this son of Street Sense would make the trip to Riyadh in the Middle East for the inaugural running.
McKinzie will be making his first start since a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) nearly four months ago. After a brief winter freshening, he’s been training exceptionally well at Santa Anita. He’s clearly a good shipper, having won most of his top races on the road – the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx, the and Alysheba (G2) at Churchill Downs.
The one-turn nine furlongs should also be in his wheelhouse as he has been successful at distances between seven furlongs and 10 furlongs. And though racing in Saudi Arabia is race-day medication-free, meaning no Lasix, Baffert has some experience in the area having saddled three Dubai World Cup winners without the benefit of the diuretic — Silver Charm, Captain Steve and Arrogate.
McKinzie arrived in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20 with the rest of the American contingent. After a 48-hour quarantine took his first steps over the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 22.
“McKinzie looked pretty sharp today (Feb. 26),’’ Baffert said. “We stood him in the gate. The track surface is pretty nice.”
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Owners: Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman
Post position: No. 9
Odds: 5-2
Career record: 14-7-6-0
Career earnings: $1,376,648
Pedigree: Street Sense—Runway Model, by Petionville
Age: 5
Running style: Frontrunner/Stalker
Handicapping Insights:
“Nine furlongs the favorite distance for Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up; must overcome seconditis.’’ – Ed McNamara
“Since losing big in the 2018 BC Classic, he has run eight times, including six Grade 1‘s, and has never been worse than second … Surface and distance a good fit here, and he should be included in all exacta wagers — at the very least.” – Noel Michaels
Notes: He was named for the much beloved racetrack executive Brad McKinzie, who passed away in 2017. Baffert considered McKinzie a brother … horse is a Grade 1 winner at age 2, 3 and 4 … Has never been worse than second in seven starts in 2019 and has finished off the board once, in the 2018 BC Classic at Churchill Downs … dam was a multiple Grade 2 winner, including the Alcibiades Stakes, and was a $2.6 million purchase through Keeneland’s sales ring in 2006 when in foal to the great Storm Cat and was pensioned from broodmare duty last year.
California native and lifelong horsewoman Margaret Ransom is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program. She got her start in racing working in the publicity departments at Calder Race Course and Hialeah Park, as well as in the racing office at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. She then spent six years in Lexington, KY, at BRISnet.com, where she helped create and develop the company’s popular newsletters: Handicapper’s Edge and Bloodstock Journal.
After returning to California, she served six years as the Southern California news correspondent for BloodHorse, assisted in the publicity department at Santa Anita Park and was a contributor to many other racing publications, including HorsePlayer Magazine and Trainer Magazine. She then spent seven years at HRTV and HRTV.com in various roles as researcher, programming assistant, producer and social media and marketing manager.
She has also walked hots and groomed runners, worked the elite sales in Kentucky for top-class consignors and volunteers for several racehorse retirement organizations, including CARMA.
In 2016, Margaret was the recipient of the prestigious Stanley Bergstein Writing Award, sponsored by Team Valor, and was an Eclipse Award honorable mention for her story, “The Shocking Untold Story of Maria Borell,” which appeared on USRacing.com. The article and subsequent stories helped save 43 abandoned and neglected Thoroughbreds in Kentucky and also helped create a new animal welfare law known as the “Borell Law.”
Margaret’s very first Breeders’ Cup was at Hollywood Park in 1984 and she has attended more than half of the Breeders’ Cups since. She counts Holy Bull and Arrogate as her favorite horses of all time. She lives in Pasadena with her longtime beau, Tony, two Australian Shepherds and one Golden Retriever.
