'Extraordinary' McKinzie retired and will take up stallion career at Gainesway

Four-time Grade 1 winner McKinzie has been retired from racing and the son of Street Sense will stand the 2021 season at Gainesway Farm near Lexington.

"McKinzie was absolutely brilliant," said Brian Graves, the general manager of Gainesway, "He was an undefeated Grade 1 winner at two, as well as a multiple Grade 1 winner and top-rated horse at three and four years of age. His speed, precocity, and good looks make him an absolute standout."

The five-year-old was named after the late Brad McKinzie, a 30-year executive at Los Alamitos and a close friend of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The equine McKinzie's career highlights include victories in the Whitney Stakes, Malibu Stakes, Pennsylvania Derby and Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity, all Grade 1s.

"From day one, McKinzie has just been exceptional," said Baffert. "He is a gorgeous physical with brilliant speed and stamina. I've had only one other horse in my career that has been able to accomplish what he's done by winning a Grade 1 at two, three and four. It takes an extraordinary horse to achieve that."

McKinzie ran 11 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures and amassed $3,473,360 in earnings while compiling eight wins and six seconds from 18 starts.

"He was such a good horse," continued Baffert. "When he was on, he was really on. He was a top, top horse. He meant a lot to me because he was named after a good friend. Winning the Whitney, that was something else."

In addition to his wins, McKinzie was second in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Awesome Again Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap and Santa Anita Handicap.

"His best race was probably the Met Mile, where he just got in all kinds of trouble," said Baffert. "That was probably his most impressive race. He was flying late. That Met Mile was incredible. If he would have had just a little clear room there, man...

"We really enjoyed him. The ownership team was a lot of fun, and there's nothing like having a really good horse and going on the road."

Bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Farm out of the Grade 2-winning, Grade 1-placed Petionville mare Runway Model, McKinzie was a $170,000 purchase by his owners' Three Amigos from the Lane's End consignment at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

His dam was third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and second in the Ashland Stakes, and sold to Summer Wind for $2.7 million in foal to Storm Cat at the 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

"McKinzie is the best son of Street Sense, his Ragozin sheet numbers are as impressive as I have seen, and to maintain that speed and soundness over multiple seasons takes an absolute superstar," said Sean Tugel, Gainesway's director of stallion sales and recruitment. "He has everything you want in a stallion prospect."

A fee will be announced at a later date.

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