Mackinnon back in Southern California for Eddie Read Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Mackinnon, a two-time stakes winner in California in 2021, will return to Southern California for a start in Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar, trainer Doug O’Neil said over the weekend.

Mackinnon was based with O’Neill from the start of his career in 2021 until last fall when he was sent to trainer Chad Brown in New York. For Brown, Mackinnon was second in the Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting last October and fourth in an allowance race on yielding turf at Belmont Park on July 4.

“The owners and Chad thought he’d do better on firm turf,” O’Neill said of the move back to California.

Mackinnon, a 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah, races for Erik Johnson, Madaket Stable, and Dave Kenney.

Johnson, 35, is a defenseman in the NHL. He recently signed a contract with the Buffalo Sabres, and was previously with the Colorado Avalanche where he was teammates with Nathan MacKinnon. Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Mackinnon, the colt, is part of a projected field of seven in the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes, along with Cabo Spirit, Dicey Mo Chara, and as many as four runners trained by Phil D’Amato – Balnikhov, Count Again, Gold Phoenix, and Masteroffoxhounds.

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