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Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Winner Spun To Run Retired; Stud Plans Pending

Spun to Run, the dominant winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, has been retired from racing by owners Bob and Sue Donaldson.

Spun to Run won five races as a 3-year-old last year by a combined 20 lengths. His most important win came in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park where he led gate-to-wire to win by 2 3/4 lengths over favored multiple Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach. That deep field also included multiple Grade 1 winner Improbable, and graded stakes winners Coal Front and Mr. Money. He earned a 109 Beyer speed figure in the win.

In addition to his Breeders' Cup victory, Spun to Run captured the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes and the M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile Stakes where he ran a 110 Beyer Speed Figure, the second-highest for a 3-year-old at a mile or more in 2019. His brilliant 3-year-old campaign also included a strong second-place finish to Maximum Security in the G1 Cigar Mile, where he posted a -2 Thorograph figure, and a third place finish in the G1 Haskell Invitational Stakes. He retires with earnings of $1,160,520.

A brilliant miler with the ability to carry his speed, Spun to Run captured three of four starts at a mile, with his one second at the distance coming in the Cigar Mile. He ran less than a 1 on the Thorograph in six of his nine starts at three.

Owner Bob Donaldson commented: “From day one, this guy showed us his heart and determination, but most importantly, he showed us a mindset that was unlike any horse we had ever been around. With each start he just got better and more determined to simply outrun his competition.”

Breeder Migdaly Serra of Sabana Farm echoed Donaldson's comments about Spun to Run's class in an interview with The BloodHorse MarketWatch earlier this year: “From a very young age, Spun to Run behaved like he always has—like a champion. Everyone who worked with us in that year knew it. He was exceptional.”

Darley's Darren Fox added: “Spun to Run embodies many of the best qualities in Hard Spun. When I think of Hard Spun, I think of his heart, desire, and the will to win. Spun to Run embodies much of Hard Spun's heart and speed, that honest running style that says, 'Here's what I have, catch me if you can.' It's a joy to watch and is certainly something that runs in a lot of Hard Spun's progeny.”

Spun to Run possesses a top-rung pedigree to complement the brilliance he showed on the racetrack. He is by Grade 1 winner and champion sire Hard Spun, making him a grandson of the mighty Danzig. In addition to Hard Spun, other male-line descendants of Danzig standing at stud include: Danehill, Green Desert, War Front, Sea The Stars, and Kingman.

Spun to Run's stakes-winning dam, Yawkey Way, is also the dam of stakes-winning 3-year-old filly Tap It All. He is from the immediate family of Grade 1 winners Constitution, All Fired Up, Awesome Humor, Emcee, and Competitive Edge.

Stud plans have not been determined for the 4-year-old son of leading sire Hard Spun.

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McKinzie Headlines Loaded Runhappy Met Mile

A talented and deep field of eight will line up for Saturday’s highly anticipated 127th renewal of the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park.

An unlucky second behind the mighty Mitole (Eskendereya) in last year’s contest, ‘TDN Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense) figures to vie for favoritism. He was first or second in all seven of his starts in 2019, led by a win in Saratoga’s GI Whitney S. and a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The four-time Grade I winner made up for a dismal performance in the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup Feb. 29 with a good-looking victory in the seven-furlong GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita June 7. Hall of Famer Mike Smith makes the trip from Southern California to guide the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

“I think any time you win a Grade I on the East Coast it’s pretty important, especially at Belmont and Saratoga. It’s like hitting a home run in Yankee Stadium, it means something,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said.

“His comeback race was just perfect. If he brings his ‘A game,’ that’s what we’re looking for. He’s doing really well.”

Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), winner of last year’s GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. over subsequent Classic hero Vino Rosso (Curlin) via disqualification, kicked off his 4-year-old campaign with a well-timed decision over Endorsed (Medaglia d’Oro) in the GIII Westchester S. in the Belmont mud June 6.

“He just grew up physically in his body and his mind,” Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. “He’s gotten more aggressive and he’s caught onto what it’s all about now. He was still figuring things out last year, especially earlier in the year. Everything he’s done this year has been good. He acts like he’s ready to run.”

Moved up to second via disqualification in the GI Kentucky Derby, Code of Honor is three for four at Belmont Park, including a track-and-trip score in last July’s GIII Dwyer S.

Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}), well-beaten in last year’s Kentucky Derby, has found his niche racing around one turn this term. A sharp winner of Gulfstream’s Sir Shackleton S. Mar. 28, the chestnut realized a career high while earning a gaudy 110 Beyer Speed Figure with a jaw-dropping victory over Network Effect (Mark Valeski) in a sloppy renewal of the GI Runhappy Carter H. in Elmont June 6. Both wins were at seven furlongs.

The Runhappy Met Mile offers a free berth to the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland.

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Equibase Analysis: Mr. Freeze Poised For Fireworks In Met Mile

The Fourth of July feature on a fantastic day of racing at Belmont Park is the Grade 1, $500,000 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, otherwise known as the Met Mile. Historically one of the biggest races in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile division, this year's race lives up to that billing with eight horses running the one-turn mile trip.

Leading the field in terms of earnings is Code of Honor, who has earned more than $2.4 million to date, some of that when winning the Grade 1 Travers Stakes last summer two races after a second place finish (via disqualification of the winner) in the Kentucky Derby. Making his first start as a four year old last month, Code of Honor won the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes and appears set for even better.

The horse with the top earnings in the field is McKinzie, who has amassed a $3.4 million bankroll. McKinzie rallied from next-to-last in the 2019 Metropolitan Handicap and comes into the race off a “ridden out” win in the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes. Mr Freeze is another talented horse with $1.4 million in career earnings. Mr Freeze won the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes at this one-turn mile trip in February to prove he belongs at this level.

Vekoma won the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in April, 2019 and went into the Kentucky Derby well-regarded but finished 13th. A perfect two-for-two in 2020, Vekoma comes off a win in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Belmont last month. Westchester runner-up Endorsed and Carter runner-up Network Effect hope to turn the tables on Code of Honor and Vekoma, respectively.

Hog Creek Hustle won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes last June on Belmont Stakes day but is winless in seven races since then. Warrior's Charge rounds out the field of eight. He won the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap in February in the same manner he's earned all of his other three wins, leading from start to finish. As such, we know who will be trying to lead these on a merry chase from the start.

Mr Freeze and Vekoma are my two top contenders to win this year's Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap, but of the pair I will give Mr Freeze preference. The reason is he's a true dirt miler. Last September, Mr Freeze won the Ack Ack Stakes for a then career-best 115 Equibase Speed Figure and he hasn't really run a bad race since then. Stretching out to two-turns and a mile and one-eighth for the Fayette Stakes in October and the Clark Stakes in November, Mr Freeze finished respectably to the top horse in the handicap division in North America, Tom's d'Etat, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes last weekend. After another big effort when second in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January, Mr Freeze cut back to a one turn mile and won the Gulfstream Park Mile in impressive fashion, duplicating the 115 figure earned in the Ack Ack. Once again Mr Freeze stretched out to nine furlongs for the Oaklawn Handicap when last seen in May, finishing third of 13. Incidentally, the winner of that race (By My Standards) came back to run second to Tom's d'Etat in the Foster. For this race, Mr Freeze is once again cutting back from a mile and one-eighth to a mile and if his last two efforts at a mile are any indication, he's going to be very tough to beat. On another positive note, jockey Manny Franco rode Mr Freeze just once previously, when victorious in the Gulfstream Park Mile.

Vekoma, although running just twice in 2018, was a top two-year-old as he won the Nashua Stakes in November in only the second start of his career. Similarly, he won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in his second start as a three year old, before disappointing badly when 13th in the Kentucky Derby. Given nearly 11 months to mature after that, Vekoma made a very sharp debut as a four year old in March with a stirring victory in the Sir Shackleton Stakes with a career-best 109 figure. Improving sensationally in his second start of the year, Vekoma put to shame a good field in the Carter Handicap last month at Belmont when drawing off to a seven and one-quarter length win. The 116 figure earned in that race is the second best last race figure in the field, just one point shy of the 117 McKinzie earned last month at the same seven furlong trip. However, what Vekoma has going for him which McKinzie does not is being a four year old, Vekoma is still physically maturing and can improve. A perfect four-for-four in one-turn races in his career and with a perfect two-for-two record at Belmont, Vekoma is another strong contender to win this year's Metropolitan Handicap.

Code of Honor, like Vekoma, was a top three-year-old last year, winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes in March. After third place finishes in the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, placed second in the latter race after the disqualification of Maximum Security, Code of Honor proved himself once again when winning the Dwyer Stakes at this one-turn mile trip at Belmont last July. Stretching out to a mile and one-quarter, Code of Honor won the Travers Stakes before a career-best effort and 114 figure when coming up a nose short in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, then was moved up to first after bumped by the original winner. The long campaign apparently took its toll as he finished seventh in the Breeders' Cup Classic. However, after seven months off, Code of Honor came back strongly to win the Westchester Stakes last month over the track with a 113 figure effort that bears improvement in his second start off that long layoff.

Endorsed led into the stretch in the Westchester but had no answer for Code of Honor in the late stages. The 112 figure was a career-best and he certainly could be a factor once more. McKinzie earned a 117 figure winning the Triple Bend Stakes last month in California and earned back-to-back 121 figures in two-turn races, winning the Whitney Stakes last summer at Saratoga then second in the Awesome Again Stakes. He finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic to end his 2019 campaign. McKinzie, along with Hog Creek Hustle has mostly a deep closing style when he runs into a very hot pace as evidenced by his eighth to second place effort in last year's Metropolitan Handicap. Hog Creek Hustle earned a career best 106 figure when coming up a nose short in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes last summer but has not come close to running that kind of race since. With only one “early” pace type in this race, Warrior's Charge (with a career-best 104 figure), I think the late charges of both McKinzie and Hog Creek Hustle may be a bit muted. Network Effect earned a career-best 111 figure winning the restricted Big Drama Stakes in May but was no match for Vekoma in the Carter and is another who may be held to a minor award.

Win Contenders:
Mr Freeze
Vekoma
Code of Honor

Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap – Grade 1
Race 9 at Belmont Park
Saturday, July 4 – Post Time 5:47 PM E.T.
One Mile
Three Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $500,000
T.V.: NBC 5 – 6 PM E.T.

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Multimillionaires Code Of Honor, McKinzie Headline Saturday’s Runhappy Met Mile

An eight-horse field boasting a combined 20 graded stakes victories, led by Grade 1-winning multimillionaires Code of Honor and McKinzie, make up a talented group assembled for Saturday's 127th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Runhappy Met Mile on July 4 at Belmont Park.

The Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile, open to 3-year-olds and up and offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland, headlines a Runhappy Met Mile Day card offering five graded stakes on Independence Day. Also featured is the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/4-miles on turf; the Grade 2, $200,000 Suburban, a 10-furlong test for 4-year-olds and upward; the Grade 3, $150,000 Poker, a one-mile turf test for older horses; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies.

Slated as Race 9 at 5:47 p.m. Eastern on Saturday's 11-race card, which offers a first post of 1:15 p.m., the Runhappy Met Mile will feature live on NBC from 5 – 6 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on Fox Sports and MSG+ will offer live coverage of Belmont Park stakes action on Saturday from 1 – 5 p.m. and from 6 – 7 p.m. on FS1. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

An exciting renewal of the Runhappy Met Mile features a showdown between Code of Honor, a $2.4-million earner and winner of last year's Grade 1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga and Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup; and four-time Grade 1-winner McKinzie, who captured last year's Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and boasts lifetime earnings of over $3.4 million.

Following a winter freshening after a distant seventh in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November, the W.S. Farish homebred continued to build on his graded stakes winning form in his 2020 bow when scoring a third overall victory over Big Sandy in the Grade 3 Westchester on June 6.

McGaughey said Code of Honor has matured physically and mentally as a 4-year-old.

“He just grew up physically in his body and his mind,” said McGaughey. “He's gotten more aggressive and he's caught onto what it's all about now. He was still figuring things out last year, especially earlier in the year. Everything he's done this year has been good.

“He acts like he's ready to run,” continued McGaughey, who teamed up with Farish to win the Met Mile with eventual Champion Older Horse Honor Code in 2015. “He's had plenty of time off over the winter and it seems to have done him some good, so we'll just see what he does.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the winningest jockey in Met Mile history, seeks a sixth triumph, guiding Code of Honor from post 5.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be seeking redemption in the Met Mile when he sends four-time Grade 1 winner McKinzie to Big Sandy.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, the 5-year-old son of Street Sense was a troubled second beaten three-quarters of a length to Mitole in last year's running, where he lacked racing room down the stretch, found a hole to the inside of runners and made a late move to complete the exacta.

A Met Mile triumph would make McKinzie the first North American-based male to win a Grade 1 race at ages 2, 3, 4 and 5. As a 2-year-old, McKinzie won the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity before winning the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 1 Malibu as a sophomore. Following last year's Met Mile, McKinzie took the Grade 1 Whitney Invitational at Saratoga, where he defeated multiple Grade 1-winner Yoshida and eventual Champion Older Horse Vino Rosso while registering a career-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I think any time you win a Grade 1 on the east coast it's pretty important, especially at Belmont and Saratoga. It's like hitting a home run in Yankee Stadium, it means something,” Baffert said.

Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm, McKinzie arrives at the Met Mile off a victory at his home base in the Grade 2 Triple Bend on June 7 at Santa Anita and has been training forwardly for Baffert at his southern California base. His most recent two works were a five-furlong drill in 59.60 seconds on June 22 and a six-furlong move in 1:12.20 on June 28.

“His comeback race was just perfect,” Baffert said of the Triple Bend. “We just need to draw well and find some racing luck and good weather. If he brings his A game that's what we're looking for. He's doing really well. He breezed well, we're happy with it.”

McKinzie holds sentimental value to his connections having been named after the late racetrack executive and close friend Brad McKinzie, who attended college with Baffert at the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program.

“It's exciting having such a good horse named after our dear friend Brad McKinzie and his mother is still alive and so it keeps her going,” Baffert said. “She loves watching him run and it brings a tear to her eye when he runs. There's a little added pressure when he runs. When you have a nice horse like this it's so enjoying. Like his namesake, the horse has a great personality and when he performs, we're always thinking of Brad.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who piloted Baffert's Mor Spirit (2017) and Holy Bull (1994) to Runhappy Met Mile triumphs, will return to the irons from post 3.
Fresh off the best performance of his career in the Grade 1 Runhappy Carter is Vekoma, who registered a 110 Beyer for the 7 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong event at Big Sandy.

The Runhappy Carter marked the first Grade 1 victory for the George Weaver-trained Candy Ride chestnut colt, following a successful seasonal bow in the Sir Shackleton at Gulfstream Park. Also a graded stakes winner at ages 2 and 3, Vekoma won the 2018 Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct following a win on debut and took the 2019 Grade 2 Blue Grass last April at Keeneland en route to a 12th-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Owned by R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stable, Vekoma was bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stable and is out of the Speightstown broodmare Mona de Momma, who also was a Grade 1-winner going seven furlongs.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano piloted subsequent champions Ghostzapper (2004) and Honor Code (2015) to Met Mile triumphs and seeks his third victory in the race aboard Vekoma from post 2.

Bakster Farm's Mr Freeze has come close to Grade 1 success in the past but will try to secure his first victory at such caliber for trainer Dale Romans, who trained 2012 Met Mile champ Shackleford.

The 5-year-old chestnut son of To Honor and Serve, bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms, finished third in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap in November at Churchill Downs and third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park.

Mr Freeze notched two of his three graded stakes wins going the one-turn mile when taking the Grade 3 Ack Ack on September 28 at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile two starts back on February 29.

Jockey Manny Franco will guide Mr Freeze from post 7.

No stranger to Grade 1 success at Belmont Park, Hog Creek Hustle will attempt to find the winner's circle for the first time since an 18-1 triumph in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens last June over Big Sandy.

Trained by Vickie Foley, the Something Special Racing-owned 4-year-old son of Overanalyze has maintained a consistent record since then having placed in four of his seven starts since striking Grade 1 gold.

Hog Creek Hustle will leave from post 4 under jockey Jose Ortiz.

Trainer Brad Cox will attempt to win his first Met Mile when he saddles the frontrunning Warrior's Charge, who arrives off a second-place finish to By My Standards in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2.

Owned by Ten Strike Racing in partnership with Sol Kumin and Jason Monteleone's Madaket Stables, Warrior's Charge led at every point of call in his only graded stakes victory two starts back in the Grade 3 Razorback on February 17 at Oaklawn Park.

In nine career starts, the dark bay son of Munnings has only finished off the board once when running a game fourth to War of Will in last year's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, which came after a maiden special weight and optional claiming victories at Oaklawn Park by open lengths.

Leaving from post 8, Warrior's Charge will receive the riding services of jockey Florent Geroux.

No horse since 1983 winner Star Choice has won the Met Mile without having already won a graded stakes race, but Network Effect will step up to the task for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

The three-time graded stakes placed son of Mark Valeski was a distant second to Vekoma in the Grade 2 Carter last out. Owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, Network Effect has only been worse than second once in eight starts, which was a distant eighth in last year's Grade 1 Cigar Mile. Second in the Grade 3 Nashua and Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct as a juvenile, Network Effect defeated winners in November going the one-turn mile at the Big A three starts before becoming a stakes winner against fellow Florida-breds in the Big Drama at Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be aboard Network Effect from the inside post.

Godolphin homebred Endorsed, a 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out in a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Westchester. Out of 2012 Grade 1 Gazelle winner Dance Card, Endorsed boasts a record of four wins and two seconds from nine starts. He will be searching for his first career stakes win when leaving post 6 under Joel Rosario.

The Runhappy Met Mile has developed the reputation of being an important breeding-value enhancer potential stallion prospects. Many recent winners of the event have gone on to become Grade 1 and/or champion-producing sires such as Honor Code (2015), Palace Malice (2014), Shackleford (2012), Quality Road (2010), Divine Park (2008) and Ghostzapper (2005).

During its earlier years, the Runhappy Met Mile was championed by all-time greats such as Equipoise (1932-33), Gallorette (1946), Stymie (1947-48), Tom Fool (1953), Native Dancer (1954), Kelso (1961), Carry Back (1962), Buckpasser (1967) and Forego (1976-77).

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