McKinzie | Horse Racing Free Tips

Who’s Your Pick? Joe Miller

As we approach the end of the calendar, we turn our attention to the incoming sire class of 2021. We asked several judges who their favorite incoming sire is for next year and if there are any other stallions, new or otherwise, that have caught their eye as under-the-radar picks.

JOE MILLER, Kern Thoroughbreds

McKinzie (Street Sense), $30,000, Gainesway

My favorite new sire is a tough decision. There are so many good choices in 2021 and I really do not want to jinx anyone, but I would have to say McKinzie is the horse that really stands out to me.

He was a very talented horse around one turn, and was able to carry that speed two turns. He relaxed well in his races, and was unlucky not to win a few more big races. His dam was precocious and very fast as well, and looks wise. He is a picture. On his day, he was pretty special. I think $30,000 is a fair price on him.

Constitution (Tapit), $85,000, WinStar Farm

Best value does not necessarily mean inexpensive, and I think Constitution is very good value at $85,000. The commercial market should catch up with race results.

Also, an honorable mention to Ocean Park (Thorn Park) at Waikato Stud in New Zealand. For a $20,000 N.Z. stud fee (about $14,000 U.S.), you can breed to a young stallion that has already had several Grade 1 winners and seems to have a new stakes horse every weekend in Australasia. He seems to do it on both sides of the Tasman.

Do you have a favorite incoming sire pick for 2021 or a stallion that you think might be under-the-radar next year? Email the TDN’s Katie Ritz at katieritz@thoroughbreddailynews.com to give your response.

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McKinzie’s Journey from Juvenile Star to the Gainesway Roster

Since his maiden-breaking ‘TDN Rising Star’-worthy juvenile debut, McKinzie had caught the eye of Gainesway Farm.

But according to Gainesway’s Director of Stallion Sales and Recruitment Sean Tugel, the son of Street Sense had the attention of nearly every top stud farm in the country.

“He was on everybody’s radar from the very beginning,” he said. “Any 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 then 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.

“He 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. “The 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}).

“He 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.

“I think in today’s world, we’re so quick to put horses up on a pedestal,” Tugel observed. “This 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.

“He is the fastest son of Street Sense, and to be the best of a sire line is something special,” he said. “He 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.

“He’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.”

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Tapit, Newcomer McKinzie Lead Gainesway’s 2021 Stallion Roster

Gainesway announced stud fees Oct. 21 for its 2021 stallion roster.

“It has always been Gainesway's goal to provide breeders with quality and value,” said Gainesway CEO Antony Beck. “The current economic climate that breeders are facing makes this more important than ever. Our stallion roster offers a diverse group of established stallions and exciting young studs who look to establish a new era at Gainesway.”

Tapit, a three-time champion sire, has solidified his status as one of the most influential and breed-shaping stallions of the last half century. North America's leading stallion by lifetime graded stakes winners (84), Grade 1 winners (27), and progeny earnings ($159,714,395) will stand for $185,000 in 2021. He is the only stallion to appear in the top five general sires list nine of the past 10 years.

In 2020, Tapit is represented by recent Grade 1 winners and Breeders' Cup hopefuls Valiance and Essential Quality. In the sales ring, yearlings by Tapit topped both opening sessions of Keeneland's September Sale, including the $2-million sale topper.

Among the nation's leading broodmare sires, Tapit is also cementing his legacy as a sire of sires. His top sons at stud include Constitution and Tapizar, plus promising young sires Frosted, Tonalist, Tapiture, and Tapwrit.

McKinzie, a brilliantly fast four-time Grade 1 winner, will enter stud in 2021. The son of Street Sense will stand for $30,000. A Grade 1 winner at ages two, three, and four, McKinzie posted 11 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures during his career, as well as an impressive 1/4 Ragozin in winning the G1 Whitney Stakes. His seven graded stakes wins include four Grade 1 victories for career earnings of nearly $3.5-million.

Beck added, “I am excited about beginning this new chapter in the Gainesway stallions with McKinzie. His accolades on the racetrack speak for themselves with his brilliance and race record, I couldn't think of a better prospect to bring to Gainesway to compliment our champion sire Tapit.”

Click here to view McKinzie's digital flipbook.

Karakontie, who has gotten off to a fast start at stud, will stand for $10,000. A three-time Grade 1 winner, including the 2,000 Guineas and Breeders' Cup Mile, Karakontie hails from the family of Kingmambo. A testament to his versatility and international appeal, Karakontie is represented by stakes horses in three different countries, including graded stakes victories on both dirt and turf.

His 2-year-old daughter, Spanish Loveaffair, is a Breeders' Cup hopeful following a win in this year's Sharp Susan Stakes and a runner-up finish in the G2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland in her last out. His 3-year-old daughter, Princess Grace, has won two of three starts and finished runner-up in the G3 Valley View Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 16. Karakontie also had a session-topping yearling sell for $500,000 at the Keeneland September Sale.

Tapwrit, a $1.2-million yearling purchase turned classic winner and stakes record setter, will stand for $10,000. Out of juvenile Grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie, Tapwrit is among the best bred sons of Tapit to ever enter stud. His much-anticipated first weanlings will be offered at the upcoming November Breeding Stock sales.

Tapizar, a Breeders' Cup-winning miler by Tapit from the family of champion filly Untapable, will stand for $10,000. Tapizar's graded stakes winners include the sensational racemare, Monomoy Girl, an Eclipse champion and six-time Grade 1 winner. His 2-year-olds sold up to $500,000 at this year's OBS March sale.

“We have a stallion for every breeder,” said Sean Tugel, Gainesway's director of stallion sales and recruitment. “Tapit has solidified himself as a generational stallion who is going to leave a lasting legacy with his sons and daughters. Tapwrit, was a sales topper in Saratoga and his foals share those same great qualities. Karakontie is an emerging sire of class and a great source of Storm Cat. McKinzie is the best prospect to retire this season with a portfolio that stands out amongst his peers.”

2021 Roster and Stud Fees:

Afleet Alex
Northern Alfeet – Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster
Fee: $6,500

Anchor Down
Tapit – Successful Outlook, by Orientate
Fee: $5,000

Karakontie
Bernstein – Sun Is Up, by Sunday Silence
Fee: $10,000

McKinzie
Street Sense – Runway Model, by Petionville
Fee: $30,000

Tapit
Pulpit – Tap Your Heels, by Unbridled
Fee: $185,000

Tapizar
Tapit – Winning Call, by Deputy Minister
Fee: $10,000

Tapwrit
Tapit – Appealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal
Fee: $10,000

All stud fees are payable LFSN (live foal stands and nurses).

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McKinzie Retired to Gainesway

Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville) has been retired from racing and will stand stud at Gainesway in 2021, the farm announced Wednesday evening.

“McKinzie was absolutely brilliant. He was an undefeated Grade I winner at two, as well as a multiple Grade I winner and top-rated horse at three and four years of age,” Brian Graves, General Manager of Gainesway, said. “His speed, precocity and good looks make him an absolute standout.”

Purchased by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman for $170,000 at Keeneland September, the bay was named in honor of trainer Bob Baffert’s late longtime friend Brad McKinzie, a Los Alamitos executive. Tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ for his debut win at Santa Anita in 2017, he crossed the line second in that year’s GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity S., but was promoted to first via DQ.

Kicking off his sophomore season with a win in the 2018 GIII Sham S., McKinzie was second in the GII San Felipe S. that March and was subsequently shelved. Resurfacing that September, he won the GI Pennsylvania Derby and failed to fire in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, but rebounded with a decisive win in the GI Malibu S. Second in both the 2019 GII San Pasqual S. and GI Santa Anita H., the colt was ultra-impressive when winning the GII Alysheba S. and was a close second in a salty renewal of the GI Met Mile last summer. A decisive victor of the GI Whitney S., the Baffert runner completed the exacta in both the GI Awesome Again S. and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

McKinzie made four starts this year with his best effort being a good-looking victory in the GII Triple Bend S. He retires with a record of 18-8-6-0 and earnings of $3,473,360.

“From day one, McKinzie has just been exceptional,” said Baffert. “He is a gorgeous physical with brilliant speed and stamina. I’ve only had one other horse in my career that has been able to accomplish what he’s done by winning a Grade I at two, three, and four. It takes an extraordinary horse to achieve that.”

Bred in Kentucky at Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Farm, McKinzie is out of MGSW and MGISP Runway Model, who was purchased by Lyon for $2.7-million at the 2006 KEENOV sale. Her most recent foal is the 3-year-old filly Map Maker (Liam’s Map). Runway Model has been retired from the breeding shed, but one of her older fillies Malibu Model (Malibu Moon) has now taken up broodmare duties at Summer Wind in her place.

“McKinzie is the best son of Street Sense, his Ragozin sheet numbers are as impressive as I have seen and to maintain that speed and soundness over multiple seasons takes an absolute superstar,” said Sean Tugel, Gainesway’s Director of Stallion Sales and Recruitment. “He has everything you want in a stallion prospect.”

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