Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville) will begin his stud career at Gainesway Farm upon his retirement from racing after the Kentucky nursery announced Monday that it had purchased the breeding rights to the 5-year-old.
“It is very exciting to stand a horse with McKinzie’s credentials at Gainesway,” said Gainesway’s Director of Bloodstock Alex Solis, II. “I don’t believe there is a more exciting prospect than McKinzie out there. We are grateful to Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman, and Bob Baffert for this fantastic opportunity.”
With earnings of $3,438,560, McKinzie has run first or second in 13 of 15 graded stakes during his career. The 5-year-old, tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ following his debut victory at two, won the 2017 GI Los Alamitos Futurity, 2018 GI Malibu S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby, as well as last year’s GI Whitney S. Also in 2019, the bay was runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, GI Runhappy Metropolitan H., GI Santa Anita H., and GI Awesome Again S. He most recently captured the June 7 GII Triple Bend H.
“McKinzie is a Grade I winner at two, three, and four from distances of seven furlongs to 1 1/8 mile,” said Gainesway’s General Manager Brian Graves. “His speed, versatility, and soundness make him an absolute standout. His 10 individual triple-digit Beyer figures are truly impressive.”
Trainer Bob Baffert added, “From day one, McKinzie has just been exceptional. 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.”
Baffert continued, “The plan with him going forward is to return in the [Runhappy] Met Mile. Hopefully, this will put us in an excellent position to earn Horse of the Year honors and champion older horse of 2020.”
McKinzie is out of Runway Model, a dual Grade II who was third in the 2004 GI Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies and second in the 2005 GI Ashland S.
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