Mackinnon continues ascent by winning Del Mar Juvenile Turf
DEL MAR, Calif. -- Mackinnon is a different horse this summer than he was in the spring, which is a positive development for the colt.
Mackinnon lost his first two starts in maiden special weight races at Santa Anita in May and June, but bloomed at Del Mar’s summer meeting in one-mile turf races, winning a maiden special weight on July 31 and his stakes debut in Monday’s $102,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Mackinnon ($5.20) closed from fourth in a field of nine to win by 1 3-4 lengths over a stubborn pacesetter in 25-1 Thirty Four Coupe. Silver Surfer (4-1) finished third in his American debut.
Mackinnon was timed in 1:36.24 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 63.
Thirty Four Coupe set a solid pace of 23.13 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.79 for a half-mile. Thirty Four Couple led by a half-length with a furlong remaining and only relinquished his advantage late.
Hernandez said Mackinnon needed coaxing to reach the front.
“The pace helped me,” Hernandez said. “I was waiting on the stretch. He was getting a little lazy on the turn. When he changed leads, he responded really well.”
Optimising, who unseated jockey Drayden Van Dyke in the post parade, finished fourth, followed by Aquitania Arrival, Mogollon Rim, Socal Red, Shortman, and My Mane Champ.
Mackinnon races for Erik Johnson and Dave Kenney and is trained by Doug O’Neill. The colt is being pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at a mile here on Nov. 5.
Mackinnon is named after Nathan MacKinnon, Johnson’s star teammate on the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League.