McKinzie speaks, Smith listens, and it's game over in Alysheba

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The fans who took 3-5 on McKinzie, and trainer Bob Baffert, might have grown a bit nervous midway through the Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba Stakes on Friday at Churchill Downs, but jockey Mike Smith was growing more confident, realizing that his decision to ease back before pressing forward anew was about to pay off.

“He was telling me he wasn’t ready to go, slipping a little. So I took a hold, let him fill up with some air, and then I needed room badly,” Smith said. “I was going to run over someone. He was telling me to do it, and I listened.”

That’s where the experience Smith brings to the table pays off. He didn’t want to press on before McKinzie felt comfortable, and once he was comfortable, the race was over.

Smith found a lane coming off the final bend – “it was just a matter of getting out at that point,” Smith said – and McKinzie rolled to a 4 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile race for older runners.

Tom’s d’Etat finished second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Seeking the Soul. Silver Dust was fourth and was followed, in order, by Casino Star, Instilled Regard, Bourbon Resolution and Copper Bullet. Hawaakom, Multiplier, and Prime Attraction were scratched earlier in the day, leaving a field of eight.

McKinzie ($3.40), the favorite, was timed in 1:41.10 over a track that was rated good for the race but was immediately upgraded to fast.

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“You gave me some anxious moments,” trainer Bob Baffert said to Smith in the winner’s circle.

This was a performance Baffert was hoping to see. He thinks McKinzie is the best older horse in the country, but he was coming off two straight narrow losses. McKinzie worked sharply here on Saturday, so if he didn’t run to that work, there would have been doubt as to how to proceed.

There’s none now. McKinzie will take his talents to New York, for the Metropolitan Mile on the Belmont Stakes card June 8.

McKinzie is a horse Baffert and co-owner Mike Pegram hold dear, as he was named for their late, close friend Brad McKinzie, the long-time executive at Los Alamitos. McKinzie, 4, was considered Baffert’s top Kentucky Derby prospect early in 2018, but was injured and missed the Triple Crown. Justify proved a worthy understudy.

McKinzie finally got to Churchill Downs last fall, but flopped in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finishing 12th of 14, after capturing the Pennsylvania Derby in his comeback race.

“I wish the Classic had been today,” Smith said.

McKinzie had made three starts since, all at Santa Anita. He won the Malibu on Dec. 26, then was second in both the San Pasqual and the Santa Anita Handicap.

McKinzie is owned by Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. He has now won six times in 10 starts, and has earnings just shy of $1.5 million.