The perceptions of first-year dads in their first year with 2-year-olds are as volatile as Truth Social’s stock price. Indeed, at this stage, even one or two promising first winners can be enough to make a significant difference. For one of this year’s first-years, McKinzie The needle had just turned bright red. Just over a week before his second crop of yearlings was set to go under the hammer at the Keeneland September Sale, he became the first member of this year’s freshman group to be represented by a Grade 1 winner.
That first grade came by way of McPatrick Opportunity the person who defeated the favorite candidate, ferocious to win the Hopeful Stakes (G1), along with his companion Incentive Bonus (by another freshman, Evaporation ), Tuesday, September 2 at Saratoga Race Track.
Ferocious had clearly lost a shoe in front, but Chancer McPatrick had his own troubles to overcome. He hit the gate hard at the start, costing Flavien Prat an iron, and was nearly 10 lengths off the lead at the first call. After steady progress, Chancer McPatrick was forced to go seven wide in the closing stretch, but he maintained his momentum in an effort that suggested the longer distance would not be an issue. This took Chancer McPatrick’s record to 2-for-2: on his debut on July 27, over 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga, he closed wide from 10th to score by a neck.
McKinzie himself was yet to start at this stage of his career, although he quickly made up for lost time, making an impressive debut for Bob Baffert at Santa Anita Park in late October of his 2-year-old season. In his only other start that term, he finished second in the Cash Call Futurity (G1) but was placed first when disqualified Solomini The original won by three-quarters of a length in a fierce three-horse battle to the finish line.
Winner of the Sham Stakes (G3) on his debut at age 3, McKinzie then finished first in the San Felipe Stakes (G2), but this time found himself on the wrong side of the stewards’ investigation. It reversed the finishing order between McKinzie and Bolt d’Oro who finished a head behind. A hind leg injury kept McKinzie out of the Triple Crown race, but he returned to action in the fall to win the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). After failing to fire in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), McKinzie ended his campaign on a high note with a 4 3/4-length victory in the Malibu Stakes (G1).
At the age of 4, the son of Street feel has been a model of consistency, with seven starts yielding victories in the Alysheba Stakes (G2) and Whitney Stakes (G1) and runner-up finishes in five other starts, including the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Trained at age 5, McKinzie began the year with an unfruitful trip to the Middle East for the Saudi Cup (G1). He won the Triple Bend Stakes (G2) in his first U.S. start of the year, but disappointed in his last two starts and was retired to Gainesway Farm, Lexington, for the 2021 breeding season at a fee of $30,000, a fee that has remained unchanged for his first four years at the farm.
In addition to Chancer McPatrick, he had five other winners, all of them first in special weight company, including other Saratoga scorers Briland and Quickick, and McKinzie Street, who scored impressively in Del Mar on her first date.
McKinzie at Gainesway Farm
A $260,000 Fasig-Tipton colt and $725,000 OBS Spring Two-Year in Training colt, Chancer McPatrick is the third foal and second winner for his dam. A Bernardini winning daughter, Bernadreamy is a three-quarter sister to the AP Indy mare Bubbles and Babies, dam of Fireball Baby, a four-time black show-winning stallion bred in Indiana.
The second dam, Dream Empress, is one of the top 2-year-old mares of her generation, winning the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) and finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Dream Empress is out of Storm Cat Bernstein, who is out of Nijinsky II’s graded and winning colt Chinese Empress, meaning she is 4×3 inbred to Northern Dancer through Storm Bird and Nijinsky II, who are of the same breed. Chinese Empress’ dam, Execution, is also the dam of Possible Mate, who has four graded wins including the Sheepshead Bay Handicap (G2) and New York Handicap (G2), and of Canadian stakes winner Shy Proposal. In all, Execution is the sire of more than 40 winners, including other Grade 1 winners Prenup, Yonaguska and Bell’s The One, as well as famous show horses such as Possible Mate, Guided Tour, Cat’s At Home, Tap Day, Honor the Hero and Giant Wrecker.
Execution’s third dam, Sunny Dale, is a top-ranked mare who has won 12 of her 53 starts, six black-type races, including Beverly, Columbiana, Lexington, Suwanee River and the Churchill Downs Handicaps. Sunny Dale is also a sister to the former Sunny Vale, a notable sire of over 30 Grade 1 winners, including champion racehorse Sunshine Forever, Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Monarchos, Brian’s Time, To Honor and Serve, Winter Memories, Angela Renee, Mozu Ascot and Silver State.
Chancer McPatrick, bred on the Street Sense/Bernardini cross, has produced four other winners, all by Street Sense himself, and all have been ranked, including another Grade 1 winner. Maxfield And Speaker Corner .
