Copper Bullet, McKinzie begin new chapter in Malibu Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Had injuries not interrupted their campaigns, Copper Bullet and McKinzie might very well have gone down the Triple Crown trail, and who knows how that might have turned out. Instead, both were given plenty of time by their Hall of Fame trainers to get over ill-timed injuries, and as 2018 gives way to 2019, they are among the many who will be out to justify the fact there is life for a 3-year-old male well beyond the spring classics.

Both hit the reset button Wednesday at Santa Anita, when they head a full field in the Grade 1, $300,000 Malibu Stakes, the best race of an outstanding 10-race card that kicks off the long winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita, with first post time at 11:30 a.m. Pacific.

The Malibu is race 9. Preceding it are four other stakes, three graded. In the Grade 1 La Brea, the filly counterpart to the Malibu, Dream Tree tries to keep her perfect record intact. The La Brea is race 6. The Mathis Brothers Mile, a Grade 2 grass race for 3-year-olds at a mile, goes as race 7, with the tiny but mighty River Boyne topping the field. And race 8 is the Grade 2 San Antonio, for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, with Battle of Midway and Dabster set to throw it down again following their terrific battle in the Native Diver last month at Del Mar.

But the Malibu is the headline attraction, both in terms of quality and quantity. Sixteen 3-year-olds were entered in the seven-furlong race, and a maximum of 14 can run. The lineup of jockeys is stellar, with Jose Ortiz, Irad Ortiz Jr., John Velazquez, Robby Albarado, Tyler Gaffalione, Brian Hernandez Jr., and Manny Franco all in for the day to face the locals, whose roster now includes Joel Rosario.

“Kind of worthy of a Grade 1, isn’t it?” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Copper Bullet. “Funny how that works out.”

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Copper Bullet is making only his second start since August 2017, when he won the Saratoga Special. He was taken out of training with a shin injury, went back into training earlier this year, and was sidelined with a recurrence of the injury just as Asmussen was pondering whether to run him in the Risen Star or the Southwest.

Copper Bullet finally got back to the races five weeks ago at Churchill Downs, and he romped against a second-level allowance field, beating older horses while going seven furlongs and earning the top Beyer Speed Figure of his career, a 96.

“It was a solid race first run back,” Asmussen said. “What a relief to finally get a chance for him to show the talent he’s always had.”

McKinzie is one of five horses trainer Bob Baffert entered in the race. McKinzie is the most accomplished, having won three graded stakes, including the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. This will be his first sprint since a runaway debut win here going seven furlongs 14 months ago.

McKinzie last time out faded after pressing the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, his second start following a lengthy layoff.

“I probably should have put him in the Dirt Mile or waited for the Clark,” Baffert said at Santa Anita. “The Classic, there was so much money on the line, but looking back, he wasn’t ready for that.”

McKinzie starts from post 13 and carries top weight of 124 pounds.

Baffert also entered Ax Man, Nero, Solomini, and Super Sol, who is one of two also-eligibles.

Ax Man, now a gelding, is making his first start since July.

“He’s coming back really well,” Baffert said.

Nero, notorious for pulling himself up when he hits the top, won an allowance race at Del Mar last month following a nine-month layoff.

“He’s behaving himself,” Baffert said. “We know the talent is there. You just don’t want to make the lead too early. It doesn’t look like that’ll be a problem in this race. He’ll have a lot of company.”

Solomini, best known for losing the Los Alamitos Futurity via disqualification in favor of McKinzie, has not raced since June and is sprinting for the first time since his debut win.

“Lot of speed in the race,” Baffert said. “He should come running late.”

Kanthaka looms a major player in his first start since May. He is 3 for 3 going seven furlongs at Santa Anita, the last two with Flavien Prat, who has the call in the Malibu.

“Right track, right rider,” said Dan Ward, top local assistant to Kanthaka’s trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer.

Kanthaka’s owner, West Point Thoroughbreds, also is represented by Allen Jerkens Stakes runner-up Seven Trumpets.

Axelrod chased McKinzie home in the Pennsylvania Derby. Like McKinzie, he found the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic too steep, finishing ninth.

“The cutback in distance isn’t a huge concern because there are some fast horses, and my horse will be running at the finish line,” said Axelrod’s trainer, Michael McCarthy.

Identity Politics ships west for Chad Brown to make his stakes debut after finishing second in a fast allowance race Nov. 24 at Aqueduct. He, too, should be rolling late.

Bobby’s Wicked One, Calexman, Greyvitos, Majestic Dunhill, and Still Having Fun round out those in the main body of the field. Cool Bobby joins Super Sol on the also-eligible list.