Santa Anita news: Game Winner, McKinzie tune up for Grade 1s

McKinzie and Game Winner, favored to win the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and the Santa Anita Derby (G1), respectively, on Saturday, April 6, worked toward those goals Tuesday morning for trainer Bob Baffert.

McKinzie went six furlongs with Joe Talamo aboard in a bullet 1:12.80, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.60. Game Winner, the champion 2-year-old who suffered his first defeat in a division of Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (G2) by a scant nose, went four furlongs in 48.80.

Also Tuesday, recent allowance winner Roadster put in another work toward the Santa Anita Derby, in which he'll challenge Baffert stablemate Game Winner.

Fans will be treated to a stakes overload April 6, with a total of seven to be presented.

In addition to the 1 ¼-mile Big ’Cap and the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita will showcase the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) for fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs; and the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs.

Also, the Royal Heroine Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares at one mile on turf and the Providencia Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on grass.

BEACH VIEW SETTLES DOWN FOR SAN LUIS REY  

Early on in his racing career, Beach View either was on or close to the lead, but it didn’t necessarily prove to be his most successful tactic.  

The six-year-old Giant’s Causeway horse turned the corner however in the Cougar Handicap (G3) last July 25, rallying from sixth to win the mile and a half race on dirt by nearly five lengths at odds of 9-1.  

He has been a creditable third, fourth and third in three subsequent Grade II events, coming from well off the pace with noteworthy late runs.  

“He’s just become a bit more settled,” explained trainer Leonard Powell, a 42-year-old Frenchman who has the chestnut primed for Friday’s San Luis Rey Stakes (G2) at a mile and a half on turf.  

“He used to be a bit more on the bridle and be up close, but the Cougar Handicap was the first race we got him to switch off and come through on the inside and it resulted in an impressive victory.” 

Beach View is owned by Marc and Paul Levy, father and son businessmen from Chicago. “They had horses in the 80s with Gary Jones but just returned to racing two years ago,” Powell said.  

The San Luis Rey, race seven of eight with a 1 p.m. first post time: Epical, Tyler Baze, 2-1; Risky Proposition, Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1; Unapologetic, Geovanni Franco, 8-1; Beach View, Rafael Bejarano, 5-2; Marckie’s Water, Mario Gutierrez, 8-1; and Ashleyluvssugar, Kent Desormeaux, 5-2.

BALTAS HAS SECRET SPICE, NEXT SHARES SET FOR GRADE 1s

Trainer Richard Baltas is looking forward to Saturday when he runs two stalwarts from his successful stable in Grade 1 stakes, Secret Spice in the Beholder Mile and Next Shares in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf.

“They’re both doing well and ready to go,” Baltas said. “The Beholder Mile is a very tough race, but my filly is doing well and she’s ready to roll. Maybe she can come back to that 104 Beyer she ran last year.”