page_title: McKinzie (horse)
section_title: Three Year Old Season
hierarchical_section_title: McKinzie (horse) / Racing career / Three Year Old Season
caption_attribution_description: McKinzie at Santa Anita for the Sham Stakes.
context_page_description: McKinzie is an American thoroughbred racehorse with a current race record of 17: 8-6-0.
context_section_description: McKinzie began his three year old season on January 6, 2018, in the GIII Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.  Sent off as the heavy favorite, McKinzie hit the wire three and one half lengths clear of All Out Blitz, with My Boy Jack finishing third.  McKinzie's next start came in the GII San Felipe on March 10, in a widely anticipated showdown with the highly regarded 2017 Eclipse Award finalist Bolt d'Oro.  After a lengthy stretch battle, McKinzie crossed the finish line with his head in front, third-place finisher Kanthaka over six lengths behind the two favorites.  Due to bumping that occurred on the turn and in deep stretch, the stewards had a lengthy inquiry period which included reviewing an objection from Bolt d'Oro's jockey Javier Castellano and resulted in McKinzie being disqualified to second place behind Bolt d'Oro.  It would be the final victory of Bolt d'Oro's career.  Trainer Bob Baffert was upset with the steward's ruling, stating 
  “That's some bullshit.  Javier had a better story, I guess. I'm shocked, after the way he hit us at the top of the stretch. I don't know what they're looking at, but apparently he talked them into it. That's why they should never talk to the jockeys, just watch it themselves.”  
  Following the San Felipe, it was assumed that McKinzie would contest one final prep for the Kentucky Derby, likely in either the Santa Anita Derby, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, or Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.  The Santa Anita Derby was considered most likely, which would have meant a rematch with Bolt d'Oro, but in early April, Bob Baffert announced that McKinzie was off the Derby trail with a hock issue.
  "The x-rays were all clean. He did something in his hock. I think he jammed it. He was just a little off one morning when we were going to the track. There was no swelling or anything. He was fine the next day, but the nuke scan showed a little something in the hock. We’re just being cautious. With the Derby–every day he doesn’t go to the track, it’s not in his favor. Whatever is going on, we’re just going to let it heal on its own."   
  With McKinzie injured, Baffert opted to run eventual Triple Crown winner Justify in the Santa Anita Derby instead of the Arkansas Derby.
  While McKinzie's initial prognosis had him listed as "unlikely" for the Preakness, leading some to believe he would be back in action by summer, several minor setbacks resulted in the colt missing the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell, and Travers.  On September 22, 2018, having been away from the races for 196 days, McKinzie made his return in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, his first start outside of California.  Sent off as the 2-1 favorite, McKinzie won the race by one and three quarter lengths over Axelrod, Trigger Warning, and Hofburg, with Core Beliefs, King Zachary, Bravazo, Mr. Freeze and Instilled Regard to round out the order of finish.  Following this victory, McKinzie was officially pointed toward the Breeder's Cup Classic on November 3, 2018.
  McKinzie arrived at Churchill Downs with the rest of the Bob Baffert string early on Breeder's Cup week, often training at the same time as West Coast, Marley's Freedom, and 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman.  McKinzie was ridden in the Classic by Mike Smith, who had the alternative option of riding West Coast, another Baffert trainee who had run third to Gun Runner in the 2017 Classic.  Smith chose McKinzie over other West Coast as West Coast would be retiring to Lane's End immediately afterward and McKinzie was slated to run at four. Drawing post 6 of 14, McKinzie pressed a hot pace set by fellow three-year-old Mendelssohn and tired after six furlongs, finishing a dismal 12th of 14 and beating only Catholic Boy and Roaring Lion.  West Coast finished seventh.  Before the race, Baffert admitted the Classic would be a "tall order" for McKinzie, and afterwards stated that he made a mistake entering him off of only one race in eight months.
  Following the Breeder's Cup, McKinzie was given a brief break at the track before being put into serious training for the GI Malibu on December 26,
caption: McKinzie and Mike Smith at Santa Anita the day he won the Sham Stakes.
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