Delayed McKinzie, Gift Box matchup back on in Santa Anita Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – Better late than never for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

The Big Cap finally will be run on Saturday, with the same storyline as before racing was suspended for a month – California’s top older males duking it out at 1 1/4 miles.

McKinzie is still the favorite, and Gift Box is still second choice. “Nothing has really changed other than the calendar,” said Gift Box’s trainer, John Sadler.

Perhaps the $600,000 Big Cap is missing the marquee value it would have had last month, but the race adds a dose of pizazz to a Saturday card headlined by the $1 million Santa Anita Derby.

A field of six entered the Big Cap, and the only major change since its original March 9 date is a softer pace scenario that could benefit likely pacesetter Prime Attraction. Campaign, Mongolian Groom, and Prince of Arabia also were entered in entered the Big Cap, race 10 of 11.

The postponed Big Cap offers a chance at redemption for Bob Baffert-trained McKinzie. The five-time graded stakes winner is the 4-5 favorite despite a runner-up finish last out at odds-on in the San Pasqual, and uncertainty regarding the 1 1/4-mile distance.

“I’m not worried about (the distance),” Baffert said. “I always thought he could get a mile and a quarter because he’s a really good horse. But like any horse, he can’t go a mile and a quarter if he’s not ridden properly.”

McKinzie scored an impressive victory Dec. 26 in the Grade 1 Malibu going seven furlongs, but when he stretched to nine furlongs Feb. 2, circumstances conspired against him. McKinzie and jockey Mike Smith were unable to establish a comfortable rhythm while sandwiched between rivals on a sloppy track.

“I actually wanted to be the one to stalk,” Smith said. “But he broke so well, and then was kind of caught in between. And, I’m not sure how much he liked that racetrack.”

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The Saturday forecast is for a fast track. Although he drew the rail, with only six runners McKinzie should be able to establish a comfortable position while clocking front-runner Prime Attraction.

Baffert was not thrilled with the one-hole, but said, “If you get in a bad spot going a mile and a quarter, then I had the wrong guy on him, and I don’t think I have the wrong guy on him.”

Since summer 2016, Baffert and Smith are 22 for 55 in Grade 1 races.

Gift Box is making his first start since Dec. 26, and second since Hronis Racing and Sadler purchased him in a private transaction last fall.

“We brought him in with the idea there’s room in the handicap division,” Sadler said. “He was getting older, and [the former owners] decided it was time to move him along. I still felt like there was some good racing there. It was a gamble, there’s always risk, but he delivered right out.”

Gift Box parlayed a perfect trip to score his first graded win in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile San Antonio while earning a career-best figure. Sadler is confident he will stay 1 1/4 miles.

“I don’t think he’s going to have a problem with it, just the way he trains,” Sadler said. “He’s a big, strong horse. I think the distance is actually going to be better for him.”

McKinzie and Gift Box can be expected to race in second and third position, in either order. The horse on the lead is likely to be Grade 3 winner Prime Attraction, making his first start since November.

Trainer Jim Cassidy noted that one of the best races of his career was first start back from a layoff of more than four months when he finished third by a neck in the Grade 2 Eddie Read, a turf race at Del Mar.

KEY CONTENDERS
McKinzie, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 103-103-64

McKinzie trained so well during March that Baffert was tempted to ship him to Dubai for the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 30. “We’ll go next year,” Baffert said. “He’s going to get better with age.”

A 4-year-old, McKinzie has won five races and more than $1.1 million from eight starts, all for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman.

Gift Box, by Twirling Candy
Last 3 Beyers: 101-99-99

Joel Rosario rode Gift Box in the San Antonio on Dec. 26 opening day, which set the tone for a phenomenal winter with Sadler. They are 15 for 33 this season at Santa Anita.

Prime Attraction, by Unbridled’s Song
Last 3 Beyers: 96-97-92

Deron Pearson owns Prime Attraction, winner of the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap on the Del Mar dirt in fall 2017. Pearson also owns Cassidy-trained Big Cap longshot Price of Arabia.

Campaign, by Curlin
Last 3 Beyers: 92-84-83

A closer trained by Sadler, Campaign will rally late under Rafael Bejarano. Campaign is 3 for 6. He won a second-level allowance last out in his first California start.