McKinzie works six furlongs in CashCall Futurity prep

ARCADIA, Calif. - McKinzie, the maiden-race winner who will be favored to win his stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity, worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The workout included a vital lesson for the colt, who has had one start. Another horse worked in front of McKinzie, who took dirt in his face. McKinzie had the fastest six-furlong work Sunday.

“It was one of his best,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He took the dirt well.”

McKinzie, named for the late Los Alamitos racing executive Brad McKinzie, won a seven-furlong maiden race at Santa Anita on Oct. 28, drawing off to prevail by 5 1/2 lengths. McKinzie is co-owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. Baffert and the owners were all close friends with Brad McKinzie, who died in August.

The $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity is run at 1 1/16 miles and will have a short field, including the Baffert-trained Solomini, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

Other candidates are Greyvitos, who won the Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 11; Instilled Regard, a maiden-race winner at Santa Anita on Oct. 29; and Runaway Ghost, who won the Golden Nugget Stakes at six furlongs at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 11.

Solomini worked five furlongs Sunday in 1:01.80. Solomini was second in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.

Saturday’s program at Los Alamitos includes the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. Baffert has two prospects: Alluring Star, who was second in the BC Juvenile Fillies, and the unbeaten Dream Tree, who won the Desi Arnaz Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 18.

Alluring Star worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Other probable starters are Exuberance, Miss Mo Mentum, Piedi Bianchi, War Heroine, and Yesterday’s News.