DEL MAR – Bob Baffert loved Brad McKinzie. He believes the late longtime Los Alamitos executive, who died in 2017 at 62 after a battle with cancer, is watching over him.
Perhaps the most emotion Baffert has shown in public in recent years came earlier this month when the 4-year-old colt McKinzie, named after Brad, won the Grade I Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. Baffert was getting misty eyed while being interviewed by Laffit Pincay III in the winner’s circle.
“They know I’m a big softy and all that,” Baffert said this week at the post-position draw for Saturday’s $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
He’s especially a big softy when it comes to Brad McKinzie.
“(Brad) meant a lot to me,” Baffert said. “All my brothers and sisters, he was like a brother to me. I really miss him. We all miss him dearly. He was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever been around.”
He was also one of the kindest you’ll ever meet. He showed the type of person he was in 2016 when he put his pal Baffert ahead of his own health.
The Hall of Fame trainer was scheduled to receive an award from the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation that summer, and McKinzie was hell-bent on being there.
“We found out later he was supposed to have a kidney removed that was cancerous and he prolonged it two weeks so he could speak (at the dinner),” Baffert said. “That’s the type of guy that he was. He prolonged it just to be there for me. He was like my biggest fan. He was a special, special guy. He’s looking out for me.”
McKinzie would be running Saturday as the likely Pacific Classic favorite if not for a narrow loss in the Met Mile at Belmont Park when he got a brutal trip and finished second behind Mitole.
“The plan was, if we won the Met Mile, I was going to stay here in California (and run in the Pacific Classic),” Baffert said. “When he got beat in the Met Mile, I wanted to run him in the Whitney, and so everybody was on board with it.
“I wanted to win in New York … I’d never won the Whitney. It’s one of those (prestigious) races.”
Along with Baffert and McKinzie’s owners, Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, all of whom were Brad’s friends, the Street Sense colt has at least one other huge fan – Brad’s mother.
“I just talked to his mother today and that horse is keeping her spirits up,” Baffert said. “She told me, ‘That horse gives me will to live.’ She says, ‘I’m so proud of him.’ That horse is special to a lot of us. I’m glad he turned out to be a good one because sometimes you name ’em and … it’s been a fun ride. He’s a really good horse.”
One that’s won seven of 12 lifetime starts with four seconds. The only time he’s been off the board was last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, when he finished 12th behind Accelerate at Churchill Downs.
He’s scheduled to get another shot at the $6 million Classic again Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. Plans to get him there in good health are underway now.
“I’ll probably keep him here and run him at Santa Anita (Awesome Again Stakes on Sept. 28),” Baffert said. “I don’t know if I want to ship him another time.”
The Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on the same day as the Awesome Again is not an option for McKinzie’s final Breeders’ Cup prep.
“No, I wouldn’t take him back there again,” Baffert said. “He’s a light horse, he’s shipped a couple of times now. The main thing is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, to have him healthy for that.”
In the meantime, everyone who knew Brad McKinzie will continue to miss him while also remembering all the good times, of which there were many.
“It’s very emotional for me, that horse, with Brad McKinzie and all,” Baffert said. “I’m sure he’s watching every move I make, and my gut feeling says keep him home (for his next race).”
If McKinzie wins this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, break out the tissue. There won’t be a dry eye in the winner’s circle.
Baffert might be the most emotional of all.
Follow Art Wilson on Twitter @Sham73
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