SADLER’S GIFT BOX & BAFFERT’S MCKINZIE SQUARE OFF IN GRADE I SANTA ANITA HANDICAP ON SATURDAY

By Mike Willman —-

McKinzie

BENOIT PHOTO

SADLER’S GIFT BOX & BAFFERT’S MCKINZIE SQUARE OFF IN GRADE I, $600,000 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP ON SATURDAY

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 3, 2019)—Two of the top older horses on the West Coast, John Sadler’s Gift Box and Bob Baffert’s McKinzie, head a field of six 4-year-olds and up in the 82nd running of the Grade I, $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap this Saturday. Originally run in 1934, the Big ’Cap, America’s longest continually run “hundred grander,” will again be contested at a mile and one quarter.

Idle since winning the Grade II, 1 1/16 miles San Antonio Stakes here on Dec. 26, 6-year-old Gift Box appears to be at the top of his game and although he was well beaten in his only other try at 1 ¼ miles at age three, give every indication he should relish the distance at this stage of his career.

Beaten a half length by former Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Champ Battle of Midway as the 1-2 favorite in the Grade II, 1 1/8 miles San Pasqual Stakes over a sloppy track on Feb. 2, 4-year-old McKinzie has trained extremely well for the Big ’Cap, which will also be his second try at 1 ¼ miles.

GIFT BOX
Owner: Hronis Racing, LLC
Trainer: John Sadler

Originally headquartered with trainer Chad Brown in New York, this 6-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by Twirling Candy made his first start for Sadler in the San Antonio and was dismissed at odds of 6-1. With the San Antonio counting as his first graded stakes win, Gift Box is now 14-4-5-2 overall. Although he was fourth, beaten 18 ¾ lengths by superstar Arrogate in the 2016 Travers Stakes going 1 ¼ miles, Gift Box appears primed for a huge effort and will no doubt be head and head with McKinzie in the battle of the tote.

McKINZIE
Owner: Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman
Trainer: Bob Baffert

A smashing 4 ¾ length winner of the Grade I, seven furlong Malibu Stakes here on Dec. 26, this ultra-talented 4-year-old colt by Street Sense was outrun late by Battle of Midway in the San Pasqual, but has trained in sensational fashion for Baffert since. A two-time Grade I winner and four-time graded stakes winner, McKinzie simply did not fire when distanced in his only other try at a mile and one quarter, the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic three starts back at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. The leading money earner in the field with $1,126,000, he has an overall mark of 8-5-2-0 and will likely be the post time favorite on Saturday.

THE GRADE I SANTA ANITA HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1. McKinzie—Mike Smith—123
2. Mongolian Groom—Geovanni Franco—114
3. Prime Attraction—Kent Desormeaux—116
4. Gift Box—Joel Rosario—122
5. Prince of Arabia—Joe Talamo—114
6. Campaign—Rafael Bejarano–115

Special early first post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

ABOUT SANTA ANITA PARK
Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.