Mackinnon shows he's ready for BC Juvenile Turf with Zuma Beach victory

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mackinnon won a maiden special weight by 1 3/4 lengths at Del Mar on July 31 and his stakes debut by the same margin in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 6.

In Sunday’s $202,500 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf, Mackinnon gave an easier, flashier performance, drawing away in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:33.80. Mackinnon earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 76.

The win puts Mackinnon firmly on course for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5, a race already well on the minds of the partnership that owns the colt – Erik Johnson, Madaket Stables, and Dave Kenney – and trainer Doug O’Neill.

Sent off favored in the Zuma Beach Stakes, Mackinnon ($4.40) closed from sixth in a field of 10. Jockey Juan Hernandez had Mackinnon on the inside for the first six furlongs.

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Mackinnon encountered a touch of trouble on the first turn when he clipped heels with a rival, but quickly recovered. Hernandez moved Mackinnon off the rail in early stretch. Silver Surfer, third in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf, caught pacesetter Thirty Four Coupe with more than a furlong remaining, but could not hold off Mackinnon.

“He’s getting better every race,” Hernandez said. “He came with a bigger move today.

“The last couple of races, when he was in the stretch I had to ride him, not today.”

Silver Surfer (5-2) held second, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of 17-1 Picota. Law Abiding was fourth, followed by Aquitania Arrival, Thirty Four Coupe, Birth of Cool, Carbonite, La Deuxieme Etoile, and Il Capitano.

Silver Surfer, ridden by Flavien Prat, was well placed throughout, but could not contend with Mackinnon after leading briefly in the stretch.

“Flavien said he idled and the other horse came to him and the other horse had way too much,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Mackinnon, a colt by American Pharoah, has won 3 of 5 starts and has earned $237,860. Mackinnon was purchased for $285,000 at a 2-year-olds in-training sale in March.

Earlier this year, Mackinnon was fourth and second in two sprints before the start of the current winning streak at the Del Mar summer meeting.