Battle of Midway out-duels McKinzie in San Pasqual Stakes victory

Showing the type of form that made him a Breeders’ Cup winner, Battle of Midway out-dueled the odds-on favorite McKinzie to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes in a thrilling race for older horses at Santa Anita Park.

They ran three across the track through the turn and into the stretch before Giant Expectations, who set fractions of 22.86, 46.09 and 1:09.33, dropped out of contention from his inside position. From there, it was a head-and-head fight until Battle of Midway edged a half length ahead at the wire.

Under jockey Flavien Prat, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained son of Smart Strike completed 1 1/8 miles in the slop in 1:46.95 -- that despite sitting farther back early than he's accustomed.

"We were kind of undecided what the speed was going to be," Hollendorfer said. "I thought Bob (Baffert) would send (McKinzie) harder, but he didn't do that, so that kept us wide into the first turn, which that was a good strategy -- for them."

Hollendorfer added that, "I thought we had our horse ready." Battle of Midway showed it in his 5-year-old debut.

The winner, of course, was back on track as a 5-year-old and made his fifth start Saturday since discovered to be subfertile as a stallion. At 3, he did his best running at eight furlongs, going on to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile before initially retired.

"We're pretty happy where he's at right now," Hollendorfer said.

“I broke in front of (Battle of Midway), but if I had to do it over again," said McKinzie's jockey, Mike Smith, "I would’ve taken my horse back.” 

Battle of Midway ran in the white WinStar Farm silks in the San Pasqual. He’s also campaigned by Don Alberto Stable.

Connections have nominated him for the March 30 Dubai World Cup (G1), while the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) precedes it on March 9.

"We'll enjoy this and see what's next," Hollendorfer said.