Mckinzie=S Journey from Juvenile Star to the Gainesway Roster
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2020 FINITE BACK TO HER BEST IN CHILUKKI MCKINZIE=S JOURNEY Finite (Munnings), a leading contender for the GI Longines FROM JUVENILE STAR TO Kentucky Oaks earlier this year after capping a five-race win streak in the GII Rachel Alexandra S., returned to her best form THE GAINESWAY ROSTER Saturday to annex the GIII Chilukki S. over a one-turn Churchill mile that proved right up her alley. Backed as the even-money choice coming off a close second in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland going seven panels Oct. 17, the blaze-faced chestnut settled well off the pace early while drafting behind rivals. Asked for more after a hot half in :45.59, she circled up out wide heading for home and wore down a stubborn Sanenus (Chi) (Scat Daddy) by midstretch en route to a 2 1/2-length tally. AWe had a great trip rating behind the pace,@ said winning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. AI think at this stage of her career she is just getting better. She=s only three years old and today was her first time against older horses. We went one turn today but she=s maturing and going to be really nice at longer distances, too.@ Cont. p8 Click here to watch Sean Tugel talk on new Gainesway stallion McKinzie. IN TDN EUROPE TODAY by Katie Ritz BOYLAN FLYING HIGH WITH THE LIR JET FAMILY Since his maiden-breaking >TDN Rising Star=-worthy juvenile Kelsey Riley chats with Donal Boylan, an aviation executive and debut, McKinzie had caught the eye of Gainesway Farm. breeder of Group 2 winner The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}). But according to Gainesway=s Director of Stallion Sales and Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. Recruitment Sean Tugel, the son of Street Sense had the attention of nearly every top stud farm in the country. AHe was on everybody=s radar from the very beginning,@ he said. AAny time you see one win first time out from Bob Baffert=s barn, you have to recognize it.@ McKinzie=s resume only improved from there over the next three years before he retired in October of this year, cementing his place on the Gainesway stallion roster. A $170,000 Keeneland September purchase by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman, McKinzie was named in honor of Brad McKinzie, an executive at Los Alamitos and longtime friend of Baffert. Following his maiden victory, a disqualification elevated the colt as the winner of the GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity S., leaving him undefeated as a juvenile. While he continued the winning streak in his next start in the GIII Sham S. at three, the bay was later shelved and forced off the Classic trail, but returned with a vengeance for the second half of his sophomore season in the GI Pennsylvania Derby, and later a near five-length win in the GI Malibu S. Cont. p3 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Sunday, November 22, 2020 Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN Deputy Editor Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Associate Editors Christina Bossinakis @CBossTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN News and Features Editor In Memoriam: Ben Massam (1988-2019) ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistant/Dir. Of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Advertising Assistants Amie Newcomb Kristen Lomasson Photographer/Photo Editor Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew Finite (Munnings) reports home a convincing winner of the GIII Chilukki S. under the [email protected] lights at Churchill Downs. | Coady Photo Social Media Strategist Justina Severni RIDE A COMET STREAKS TO VICTORY IN KENNEDY RD 5 Associate Producer The lightly raced but plenty talented Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) Katie Ritz played main spoiler Saturday as he defeated ageless Canadian hero Pink Lloyd (Old Forester) in that one's quest for a third GII Kennedy Road win. Director of Customer Service Vicki Forbes [email protected] FLASHY 2YOS LINE UP IN TORONTO 11 Marketing Manager A pair of stellar fields have been assembled for Sunday’s GIII Grey S. Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen and GIII Mazarine S. at Woodbine. Director of IT & Accounting Ray Villa TODAY’S GRADED STAKES [email protected] ET Race Click for TV [email protected] 2:40a Mile Championship-G1, HSN --------------- TVG WORLDWIDE INFORMATION 5:58p Grey S.-GIII, WO TJCIS PPs TVG International Editor 6:28p Mazarine S.-GIII, WO TJCIS PPs TVG Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 22, 2020 McKinzie cont. from p1 AHe showed his extreme ability when he won the Pennsylvania Derby at a mile and an eighth, and then came back and won the Malibu at seven furlongs, showing that versatility,@ Tugel said. AThe Malibu was certainly one of his marquee victories. He exploded down the lane at the eighth pole and separated himself from a deep group of horses. You see very few horses able to separate themselves from a field going seven furlongs like that, and it just showed his brilliance.@ McKinzie got his signature win as an older horse last year in the GI Whitney, earning a 111 Beyer Figure and defeating the likes of eventual Breeders= Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso (Curlin) and Grade I winner Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart=s Cry {Jpn}). AHe ran 11 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, but his Whitney victory was his career best. He defeated multiple Grade I winners, and he did it easily,@ Tugel said. With Grade I wins at two through four, McKinzie came back this year at five and added the GII Triple Bend S. to his resume. He retired with earnings of well over $3 million, running either first or second in all but two of his 10 Grade I starts and retiring as a seven-time graded stakes winner. AI think in today=s world, we=re so quick to put horses up on a pedestal,@ Tugel observed. AThis is a great opportunity for our industry to breed to a horse that maintained the highest level of performance over three full racing years.@ Bred by Jane Lyon=s Summer Wind Farm, McKinzie is out of Runway Model (Petionville), a dual Grade II winner and $2.7-million Keeneland November purchase. Tugel said he believes McKinzie=s pedigree will give the new sire every chance at success. AHe is the fastest son of Street Sense, and to be the best of a sire line is something special,@ he said. AHe has the bottom side to make us believe that he=s going to have fast, precocious 2- year-olds. He brings that soundness, that size, that scope and versatility. And that=s something we need in this breed. I think it sets him up for a big chance to be a very successful stallion in the future. He=s certainly one of the most exciting stallion prospects we=ve had at Gainesway in a long time, and we=re very excited to see what he can produce for us.@ Breeders are now getting their first looks at the new stallion, and Tugel said he=s been well received. AHe=s an elegant horse. He comes out and shows all the class he showed on the racetrack. He stands there like an absolute picture. You can see in his movement when he walks across the ground, it=s the same movement he had to make him a multiple Grade I winner. Even though he is a big-framed horse, that athleticism and lightness of his feet is a great attribute. He=s extremely popular and we=re very excited for the book of mares he=s going to get this year.@ TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 14 • THETDN.COM SUNDAY • NOVEMBER 22, 2020 Saturday, Woodbine watched from behind,@ said winning rider Kazushi Kimura, who BESSARABIAN S.-GII, C$197,750, Woodbine, 11-21, 3yo/up, won the GIII Ontario Derby S. with Field Pass earlier on the card. f/m, 7f (AWT), 1:20.90, ft. AShe was just so comfortable today. I felt [jockey Luis Contreras 1--ARTIE'S PRINCESS, 120, f, 3, by We Miss Artie and Boardroom coming] but she wasn't that tired and kept 1st Dam: Stormkeeper, by Stormy Atlantic going. I felt I could win." 2nd Dam: Touchnow, by Pleasant Tap A winner in a pair of Woodbine sprints last season, Artie=s 3rd Dam: Now Dance, by Sovereign Dancer Princess rounded out the season with a close-up second in the 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey, seven-furlong Frost King S. in November. Back on top in her (ON); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Kazushi Kimura. C$126,000. seasonal return going five panels against allowance foes June 6, Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $257,366. Werk Nick Rating: B. the bay crossed the wire fourth as the favorite, but was Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. subsequently demoted to seventh for causing interference in the grassy Coronation Cup S. at Saratoga July 31. Heading into 2--Boardroom, 120, f, 3, Commissioner--Money Madness, by this race, the Wesley Ward trainee most recently posted a bullet Rahy.