Comebacking McKinzie Headlines Pa Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

‘TDN Rising Star’ McKinzie (Street Sense), sidelined with a hock injury this spring after being disqualified from first and placed second in a roughly run renewal of the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 10, makes his highly anticipated return in Saturday’s GI Pennsylvania Derby.

Awarded last term’s GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity via disqualification, the bay captured the GIII Sham S. at Santa Anita Jan. 6 in his only other appearance this year.

McKinzie, owned in partnership by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, tuned up for this with a four-furlong move in :47 (2/70) at Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s Santa Anita base Sept. 17. A victory by McKinzie would give Baffert back-to-back wins and his third overall in the Pennsylvania Derby after saddling West Coast (Flatter) to a 7 1/4-length victory last year.

Runaway last out July 27 Curlin S. winner Hofburg (Tapit), forced to sit out the GI Travers S. Aug. 25 with a fever, adds blinkers for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. The Juddmonte homebred was runner-up in the GI Xpressbet Florida Derby Mar. 31 and third in the GI Belmont S. June 9.

Instilled Regard (Arch) makes his first attempt for the loaded Chad Brown barn. The GIII Jan. 13 Lecomte S. winner, moved up to second via disqualification in the aforementioned Cash Call Futurity, rallied from far back to finish a solid fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby May 5 in his final start for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) enters off a breakout victory in the GIII West Virginia Derby Aug. 4 while GIII Indiana Derby July 14 and GIII Smarty Jones S. Aug. 25 winner Axelrod (Warrior’s Reward) rides a two-race winning streak.

The hard-knocking Calumet Farm homebred Bravazo (Awesome Again), winless since upsetting the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 17, has finished second in this term’s GI Preakness S. May 19 and GI betfair.com Haskell Invitational S. July 29 and was also third in the Travers last time.

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