Street Sense’s McKinzie Back to Winning Ways in PA Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

MCKINZIE (c, 3, Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville), off since being DQ’d from Santa Anita’s GII San Felipe S. Mar. 10 and subsequently forced off the GI Kentucky Derby trail with a hock issue, made up for lost time Saturday with a popular score in the GI Pennsylvania Derby. Hard ridden early and taken very far off a dull rail into the first turn, the 2-1 chalk sat perched in third early on before ratcheting up the pressure through modest splits down the backside. He had a head in front approaching the straight and, despite swishing his tail at every crack of the whip, reported home two lengths clear of local GIII Smarty Jones S. winner Axelrod (Warrior’s Reward) in 1:52.40 while giving pilot Mike Smith a Grade I double. Plucky overachiever Trigger Warning picked up another nice check and spiced up the trifecta at 80-1. Named a ‘TDN Rising Star‘ for his romping debut last October, McKinzie was elevated from first to second in the GI Los Alamitos Futurity in December. He was an easy winner of the GIII Sham S. June 6 before his much-talked-about takedown in the San Felipe. Sales history: $170,000 yrl ’16 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0.
O-Karl Watson, Michael Pegram & Paul Weitman. B-Summer Wind Farm (KY). T-Bob Baffert.

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