McKinzie

'You Can't Line Up a Better Race' – Baeza Set for Summer Showdown in Stephen Foster

Baeza (McKinzie), winner of last term's GI Pennsylvania Derby and an unlucky third after completely missing the break in his 2026 return in the GII Alysheba S. May 1, is aiming to make his next start in a star-studded renewal of the $2-million GI Stephen Foster S. at Churchill Downs June 27. The 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland is also expected to showcase a highly anticipated rematch between 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) and 2025 Horse of the Year...

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Grade I Winner Scottish Lassie Effortlessly Returns to Winning Ways at Saratoga

After a 2025 campaign that saw her produce on of the most dominant victories in elite-level competition all year, Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) kicked off her 4-year-old season with a masterclass effort against allowance optional claimers at Saratoga. A Grade I winner as a juvenile, by way of a stunning nine-length score in the Frizette Stakes, Scottish Lassie, third in last year's GI Acorn, proved her love for Saratoga with a 15 1/2-length tour de force in last summer's GI CCA Oaks. She was a flat fourth last out Sept. 20...

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The Long Journey to Maximum Velocity

It's just like Wayne Lukas used to tell him. "One of these days you're going to get smart," Lukas would say. "And you'll quit that. And come over to the Thoroughbred business." This was when Bill Childs was still in the Quarter Horse game, and Lukas had already made the switch that transformed our sport. "Well, you're right," Childs told Lukas. "I'd love to. But man, it just takes so much money to be able to withstand it." "Well," Lukas shrugged. "You'll figure it out." And here he is, all...

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Friday Insights: Quality Over Quantity In MSW At Santa Anita

1st-SA, $65K, Msw, 3-5yo, 6f, 4:00 p.m. ET. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has an uncoupled entry with 3-year-old Sir Davis (Justify) and 4-year-old Pecos River (McKinzie). The former was a $450,000 Keeneland September grad, while the latter went for $750,000 at the 2024 OBS March sale. Out of MSW Lovely Syn (Freud), Sir Davis is a half-brother to MSW Love in the Air, who was purchased by Japan's Dr. Masatake Iida for $425,000 during the 2023 Keeneland November sale while in foal to Life Is Good. As for...

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All In the Family with Taylor Made's Derby Double Threat

Kentucky Derby contenders Commandment and Renegade share more than just the top two spots on T.D. Thornton's TDN's Derby Top 20. Both Grade I winners are sons of supersire Into Mischief, both are out of graded stakes-winning mares and both were foaled and raised at Taylor Made Farm. Taylor Made's Frank Taylor noted that their team has enjoyed the ride of watching these two star colts progress toward the first Saturday in May. The high point so far was on March 28 when Commandment captured the GI Florida Derby in...

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April 18 Insights: Grade I-Placed Hot Mash Returns, Expensive Sophomores Debut on Both Coasts

3rd-KEE, $120k, Alw, 3yo/up, f, 5 1/2fT, 2:04p.m. ET Last seen a half-length shy of becoming a Grade I winner in just her second start, Hot Mash (Not This Time) will make her return to the races in this Keeneland contest against an experienced field of older fillies. Racing in this turf dash with Lasix for the first time, the daughter of red-hot Not This Time broke her maiden Aug. 11 at Ellis Park by an eye-catching 7 3/4 lengths after stalking the pacesetter through a brisk :20.27 opening quarter....

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Bolt d'Oro filly at OBS
$1.3-Million Bolt d'Oro Filly Tops Lively Day of Trade at OBS

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - With vibrant trade throughout the day, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale concluded its third session Thursday with figures still well ahead of its 2025 renewal and on track for a record-setting gross, average and median ahead of the auction's final session Friday. A filly by Bolt d'Oro became the auction's fourth million-dollar juvenile when purchased by Bill Childs's CSLR for $1.3 million. The session-topper was consigned by Raul Reyes's Kings Equine. Through three of four sessions,...

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Daughter of Bolt d'Oro Brings $1.3 Million at the OBS Spring Sale

Later in Thursday's session, Hip 840, a daughter of Bolt d'Oro, brought $1.3 million from Bill Childs. Consigned by Kings Equine, the filly is out of GSW Gas Station Sushi (Into Mischief). Bred by Spendthrift Farm, the Feb. 22 foal breezed in :9 4/5 during last week's under tack show. Spendthrift purchased Gas Station Sushi for $675,000 at Fasig-Tipton November in 2018. The mare, a half-sister to GSP Miss Costa Rica (Hit It a Bomb), is the dam of Starlit Daydream, who in turn produced SW Sandy Bottom (Omaha Beach).

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Speed In No Short Supply At OBS Thursday

On a day where the rain gave way to cloudy skies and swirling winds in Ocala, Florida, two more 2-year-olds put up a sharp :9 3/5 time during Thursday's fourth under-tack preview show at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. First of the pair was a New York-bred colt (hip 805) by Mind Control from the consignment of Grassroots Training & Sales. "He's an athletic, nice moving horse," said David McKathan of Grassroots Training & Sales, which he co-owns along with Jody Mihalic. "We were...

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'I'm Extremely High on the Summer He's Gonna Have' – Highly Regarded Golden Tornado Gearing Up for Return

Golden Tornado (McKinzie), sidelined since delivering a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' performance on debut at Saratoga last summer, is on the comeback trail. He's posted a pair of breezes for trainer Danny Gargan at Palm Meadows this winter, including a three-furlong move in :37.50 (24/43) Mar. 7. "He's a really nice horse, really nice," Gargan said. "He's come back really good. He's beautiful." Campaigned in partnership by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, breeder Gainesway Stable and Legendary Thoroughbreds, the $475,000 Keeneland September yearling and half-brother to stakes winner and fellow...

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McKinzie's Fancy Fairlane Green, but Talented, En Route to 'Rising Star' Honors

He was green, and a bit lost in the lane, but Fancy Fairlane (McKinzie) showed more than enough talent to put his rivals away and sail home to 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors at Oaklawn Park. Unveiled Dec. 20 at Fair Grounds in a six-furlong maiden special weight, he was run down late thanks in part to a sensational effort by fellow 'Rising Star' Golden Tempo (Curlin) when that one closed from a different zip code to win going away. Clocked producing a final quarter-mile in :23.57 in...

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McKinzie Colt Looks To Go One Better at Hanshin

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Hanshin Racecourse: Saturday, February 28, 2026 3rd-HSN, ¥11,280,000 ($72k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m BLUE MCKINZIE (c, 3, McKinzie--Blueeyesintherein, by Magna Graduate), a $40,000 Keeneland November weanling, took some nibbles at the windows and was a respectable fourth on Tokyo debut Nov....

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