The best son of Street Sense and one of the best colts from the Street Cry line, MCKINZIE proved to be a racehorse for the ages with Grade 1 victories from two to four and four seasons of racing under his belt.
Consistently running the lowest Ragozin figures of any stallion who retired in 2021, MCKINZIE was a standout by all figures with 11 triple digit Beyer figures to his name as well. MCKINZIE proved that he was versatile on top of speedy with Grade 1 wins coming from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles and a second-place finish over 1 ¼ miles as well.
Moving on to the breeding shed after a career that saw him win graded stakes in each of his four racing seasons, MCKINZIE was popular with breeders in his first season at stud – attracting 214 mares for 174 foals born in 2022.
“We’re big fans of MCKINZIE. We loved him as a racehorse, especially his longevity. He’s a nice looking horse, fits our mares well,” said breeder and seller Jody Huckabay. “Gets very nice foals. I think they’ll be even better as yearlings. We’ve booked several mares to him each year and we’re excited to breed back to him with several mares next year.”
Huckabay isn’t the only one who loves MCKINZIE and his foals, his 17 six-figure first-crop weanlings at the November sales were the most of any first crop sire in 2022. Averaging $135,118 with a median of $127,500, MCKINZIE’s first crop sold for up to $300,000 with buyers including Davant Latham, Candy Meadow Sales, Atlas Bloodstock, Fukumori Toshiyuki, Whisper Hill Farm, and Scott and Evan Dilworth among many others.
“I was very impressed with her overall balance, quality, and athleticism. She floated when she walked. She looks like an athlete to me,” Todd Quast said of the $275,000 filly he signed for as agent for Whisper Hill Farm.
The filly was joined in the $275,000 club by a colt out of Church By the Sea offered by Airdrie Stud at Keeneland November.
“We really though the MCKINZIE colt we sold in November was exceptional. He was always the type that looked like a very nice sales horse but, far more importantly, we’ve always believed he could be a big time racehorse,” Airdrie’s Bret Jones said of that colt.
Pinhookers were also fans of the MCKINZIE weanlings with Davant Latham buying a $300,000 weanling colt to send to next summer’s yearling sales.
“I was impressed by the MCKINZIEs. They have good size, plenty of leg, scope, and good hips. They were quality horses. The colt we bought was leggy with scope, good size, and a good hip. He should make a lovely Saratoga yearling,” Latham commented.
Meanwhile other buyers aren’t sure if they’ll be sending their purchases to the sales ring or visiting the winner’s circle with them with Candy Meadows’ Matt Lyons still uncertain of what direction they’ll go with their $275,000 MCKINZIE weanling purchase.
“Strong colt with a tremendous hip and hind leg, very correct. A top prospect for either resale next year or to go to the races,” Lyons said.
As for the all important third season at stud, MCKINZIE is already garnering plenty of support with multiple breeders booking back to him after seeing his first weanlings.
“Class and brilliance are what came to my mind regarding my MCKINZIE weanlings. We have booked three mares back to him so it is safe to say we are all in!” St. Simon Place’s Tommy Wente declared.
Breeding 171 mares last year, MCKINZIE is set to stand for $30,000 in 2023 with his first yearlings hitting the sales ring later in the year.