The highly regarded 'TDN Rising Star' McKinzie (Street Sense), named for the late, long-time Los Alamitos executive Brad McKinzie, was moved up to first via a controversial disqualification after a roughly run stretch battle in Saturday's GI Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity.
The 1-2 favorite, a jaw-dropping debut winner with a gaudy 99 Beyer Speed Figure going seven furlongs at Santa Anita Oct. 28, sat a wide, stalking trip for most of the way in this first two-turn test and made his move while three deep on the far turn. Longshot Instilled Regard (Arch), a $1.05-million OBSMAR graduate and maiden winner at third asking in his two-turn debut in Arcadia Oct. 29, and second-choice and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Solomini (Curlin), quickly followed suit and the stage was set as they straightened for home.
Solomini, widest of all and going the best of the three, lugged into Instilled Regard while McKinzie also appeared to be drifting out from the fence. Solomini was straightened out late and forged clear to hold a 3/4-length advantage at the wire. McKinzie narrowly outslugged Instilled Regard by a head for second.
The stewards, however, took down Solomini's number and placed him to third for the infraction. Instilled Regard was moved up to second.
This marks the fourth straight Futurity winner and 10th overall for Hall of Famer Baffert. “I didn't think there was going to be a change,” Baffert said. “[McKinzie] had a rough trip around the first turn and he got a little tired at the end. It's a long stretch and he hooked up with [Instilled Regard] early. [Flavien] Prat [aboard Solomini] rode a great race just sitting behind them. Unfortunately, [Solomini] will lay on horses in the lane and you have to be careful with him. Prat might have gotten a little over aggressive. It's really too bad they took him down. He was the better horse today.”
Mike Smith, aboard McKinzie, added, “As far as what happened in the stretch, I just rode my race, he kept trying hard and we were blessed enough to get kissed into the win.”
Pedigree Notes:
Street Sense is also the sire of MGISW fillies Sweet Reason and Wedding Toast. McKinzie is out of MGSW & MGISP Runway Model (Petionville), who was purchased by breeder Summer Wind Farm for $2.7 million carrying her first foal by Storm Cat at the 2006 Keeneland November sale. The 15-year-old mare, a half-sister to SW & MGSP Mambo Train (Kingmambo), has since produced the yearling colt Lock Box (Super Saver) and a weanling filly by Liam's Map.
Saturday, Los Alamitos Racecourse
LOS ALAMITOS CASH CALL FUTURITY-GI, $300,000, LRC, 12-9, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.57, ft.
1–MCKINZIE*, 120, c, 2, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Runway Model (MGSW & MGISP, $725,598), by Petionville
2nd Dam: Ticket to Houston, by Houston
3rd Dam: Stave, by Navajo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' ($170,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Karl
Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-Summer Wind
Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $210,000. Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”eisamanequine-shell”][bullet ad=”lanni-hillndale-purchased”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–Instilled Regard, 120, c, 2, Arch–Enhancing, by Forestry.
($110,000 RNA Ylg '16 KEESEP; $1,050,000 2yo '17 OBSMAR).
O-OXO Equine LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Jerry
Hollendorfer. $60,000.
3–Solomini**, 120, c, 2, Curlin–Surf Song, by Storm Cat.
($270,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Zayat Stables, LLC; B-Glenna R.
Salyer (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.[bullet ad=”coldwater-farm-born-raised”][bullet ad=”eqb-yearlingpurchase”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”][bullet ad=”hillndale-consigned”]Margins: 3/4, HD, 29HF. Odds: 0.50, 17.90, 1.70.
Also Ran: For Him, Runaway Ghost. *Won via DQ. **DQ'd from 1st to 3rd. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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