McKinzie's Baeza Runs To His Odds To Take GI Pennsylvania Derby

“We flew him three times,” he explained. “I would have loved to have run in the Travers against Sovereignty one more time. We'll get him again.”

A $1.2-million Keeneland September graduate campaigned in partnership with Grandview Equine and managed by one of the more pragmatic trainers in the entire business in the form of John Shirreffs, Baeza rewarded connections' confidence and patience with a highly impressive victory in Saturday's $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia.

Considering his body of work, the 7-5 about Baeza at the off seemed fairly generous, as Gosger (Nyquist), exceptionally unlucky to have finished runner-up to Journalism (Curlin) in the GI Preakness Stakes and GI Haskell Invitational Stakes, was the clear betting alternative at 29-10.

So Sandy (Omaha Beach), a latest second in the July 24 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga, won the break and made the running from well off the inside, and an expected quick early tempo materialized when David of Athens (Nyquist) pressed forward, consigning 4-1 third choice 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time) to a three-wide run around the first turn. Gosger was forced to punch the breeze deeper out, while Baeza was ridden quietly from the latter third of the field by Hector Berrios.

Positions were unchanged down the backstretch after a half in a demanding :46.63, and with a bit more than three furlongs to travel, Berrios set Baeza alight and the colt quickly circumnavigated the field four wide, as Goal Oriented inherited the lead outside the quarter pole.

On the attack three deep on the sweep for home, Baeza collared the Haskell third-place getter just outside the eighth pole and came away to score comfortably in the finish. Magnitude (Not This Time), impressive in winning the GII Risen Star Stakes and Iowa Derby from the front, saved ground from behind the speed this time around and finished with good energy for second. Goal Oriented held for third, while So Sandy finished fourth.

Baeza's own sire won this race as the 2-1 favorite back in 2018.

Shirreffs, who trained the very talented GI Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code) for Searing, was earning his first Grade I since Express Train (Union Rags) won the 2022 Santa Anita Handicap in the C R K colors.

“Today was one of the most exciting races I have ever participated in, to tell you the truth,” the veteran handler commented. “And that includes races that included Zenyatta. This was like, 'prove yourself today.' And he did. Because of all the hope we had for Baeza, all that build up and working at the barn. It was just like, 'this is it today.'

“This was very gratifying,” he continued. “We have been close in some of the big races and today, he put it all together. He was tactical, he had a kick, he did everything today. He broke OK, but it looked like he was maybe thinking about dropping back a little bit, but Hector (Berrios) was like 'no, no, we are going to stay connected with the field.' He did that and saved maybe a pinch of ground around the turn. He willingly started creeping up and getting better position. The horse ran beautifully, Hector rode him perfectly and it was a great afternoon.”

That 'one more time' Searing referred to as it relates to the 3-year-old king of the hill could come in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar on the first Saturday of November, even as the owner was not willing to put that in stone in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's breakthrough success.

“John is stabled at Santa Anita, we've run at Del Mar, the colt has trained at Del Mar,” Searing said. “If it fits, we should run. He's such a good horse.”

For Searing, the sky remains the limit for his charge.

“He's still growing and still getting stronger,” the owner said. “This was the exact right place to take him. He's trained brilliantly and John Shirreffs has done a great job with him. So happy.”

Pedigree Notes:

Baeza continues the amazing run of success for his dam, a one-time 'TDN Rising Star' who was a very good racemare and who has become one of the most successful producers in recent memory.

A stakes winner and placed in the GII Gazelle Stakes for Donegal Racing, Puca–a half-sister to Donegal's GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic hero Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB})–was purchased for $275,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale, visited Gun Runner the following breeding season and was hammered down to Grandview Equine for $475,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2018. The in-utero purchase became the filly Gunning, stakes-placed at the races for Grandview at ages three and four in 2022 and 2023.

The first of two matings with Good Magic yielded Mage, a $235,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $290,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer who became Puca's first Classic winner in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby. Dornoch was the product of the second Good Magic covering, and the $325,000 KEESEP grad did his part by winning the GI Belmont Stakes and GI Haskell Stakes in 2024.

Puca was offered carrying a full-sister to Mage and Dornoch at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale and was originally listed as a buy-back, but John Stewart subsequently acquired the mare privately for $2.9 million. The mare produced a Good Magic colt in 2024 and a filly by the Hill 'n' Dale sire on May 5, two days after this year's Kentucky Derby. Puca is expected to be offered not in foal at this year's Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars on Nov. 3.

It was Baeza's day to shine! He wins the G1 Pennsylvania Derby! 🏆🌟 pic.twitter.com/m2BTYuRK2I

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 20, 2025

Saturday, Parx Racing
PENNSYLVANIA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-20, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.03, ft.
1–BAEZA, 120, c, 3, by McKinzie
            1st Dam: Puca (SW & GSP, $299,406), by Big Brown
            2nd Dam: Boat's Ghost, by Silver Ghost
            3rd Dam: Rocktheboat, by Summer Squall
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE
I WIN. ($1,200,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-C R K Stable LLC and
Grandview Equine; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-John A.
Shirreffs; J-Hector Isaac Berrios. $555,000. Lifetime Record:
8-2-3-2, $1,503,500. *1/2 to Mage (Good Magic), GISW,
$2,507,450, Dornoch (Good Magic), MGISW, $2,427,275 and
Gunning (Gun Runner), MSP, $278,835. Werk Nick Rating: C.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Magnitude, 124, c, 3, Not This Time–Rockadelic,
by Bernardini. ($310,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $450,000 Ylg '23
KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Ron Stolich (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $185,000.
3–Goal Oriented, 122, c, 3, Not This Time–Bizzy Caroline,
by Afleet Alex. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($425,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP).
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC,
Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables,
Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and
Catherine Donovan; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & CWC
Investment 2, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $92,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 10.70, 4.00.
Also Ran: So Sandy, Big Truzz, Gosger, Mo Plex, Happily Delusional, David of Athens, Altobelli. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.