McKinzie's new target the Santa Anita Handicap, Baffert says

Bob Baffert confirmed Saturday morning that multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie will pass next weekend's Pegasus World Cup and point for Santa Anita’s marquee race for older horses, the Grade 1, $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap at a mile and a quarter on March 9.

He'll use the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Feb. 2 as a steppingstone to the Big 'Cap.

“We’re going to run here if all’s well,” the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer said.

Baffert would be seeking his sixth victory in the Big Cap, having won it with General Challenge in 2000; Misremembered in 2010; and three times with Game On Dude, in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

McKinzie, a bay son of Street Sense, is coming off an impressive victory by nearly five lengths in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 26. He had won three graded stakes last year before finishing a disappointing 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3.

STILL YOUNG AT HEART, DESORMEAUX NEARS 6,000 WINS

With his half-length victory on Imperial Creed for trainer Michael McCarthy in Friday’s second race, jockey Kent Desormeaux moved within three of 6,000 career wins in North America.

“Whoda thunk it?” joshed the three-time Kentucky Derby winner and Hall of Fame member who turns 49 on Feb. 27. “Really, it is exciting, but it’s hard to imagine.

“I know one thing: they don’t come easy, and the last two months, it seems like it’s taking forever.”

FINISH LINES: Richard Baltas has engaged Tyler Gaffaglione to ride San Gabriel Stakes winner Next Shares in the $7 million Pegasus Turf Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The jockey guided Next Shares to a 23-1 upset victory in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last Oct. 6 . . . Mario Gutierrez, who won his first race of the meet Friday aboard California Journey for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, has been named on Whooping Jay for leading trainer Doug O’Neill in Saturday’s $100,000 California Cup Turf Sprint Stakes for 3-year-olds at about 6 ½ furlongs on the grass. Whooping Jay worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 handily from the gate today, one of 22 head O’Neill breezed this morning