Mc Vay may be one to watch this summer

ARCADIA, Calif. - An expensive colt who was little more than a supporting player in the 3-year-old stakes of late winter and early spring may be a runner to follow this summer.

Mc Vay, seventh of eight in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 6, rebounded to win a maiden race at a mile by an eye-catching seven lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The win left trainer John Shirreffs considering a start for Mc Vay in the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on June 9.

“It sounds reasonable,” Shirreffs said.

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Mc Vay, purchased for $1.25 million as a yearling, won in his sixth career start on Saturday. Ridden by Mike Smith, Mc Vay was wide throughout and closed from eighth in a field of nine to take the lead on the turn. Mc Vay rapidly pulled clear, finishing in 1:37.41. He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 95.

“The way he finished was very good,” Shirreffs said. “He had a long-sustained run and that was impressive.”

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Mc Vay started in the Santa Anita Derby after he finished a well-beaten third behind Imagination in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 3.

After the Santa Anita Derby, jockey Mike Smith began working Mc Vay on a regular basis, a familiarity that was beneficial in the maiden-race win.

Smith “helped him a lot because he’s good with his hands,” Shirreffs said.

On Saturday, Smith had Mc Vay toward the middle of the track on the first turn, and was four-wide on the final turn. Smith said on Sunday that Mc Vay is the sort of colt who can fight a rider if urged to do something he does not want to do.

“Once I got him (more to the) inside, he was all right,” Smith said. “I had to convince him it was his idea. He’s got a lot of upside to him.”

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