MCKINZIE registered his first Grade 1 winner in a big way Monday when Chancer McPatrick won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) to close out the Saratoga meet.
The seven-furlong dirt race saw Chancer McPatrick happy to take up a spot as the back marker in the first quarter mile. After that point, he had only one horse beaten, though jockey Flavien Prat didn’t seem worried about his position.
It was quickly shown why as the field turned into the stretch and Prat took his mount widest of all to make a serious bid for the lead. Flying up the outside in a battle with race favorite Ferocious, Chancer McPatrick used the motivation of beating his rival to find another gear and win by half a length at the line.
2YO CHANCER McPATRICK, son of @Gainesway stallion McKinzie, earns Flavien Prat his 7th Grade 1 victory of the meet in the Hopeful Stakes for trainer Chad Brown! pic.twitter.com/wUNf8XFJCA
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) September 2, 2024
Trained by Chad Brown for Flanagan Racing, the Rigney Racing-bred proved that both his $260,000 yearling price and $725,000 juvenile price tags were well paid with this victory. The colt was named a Thoroughbred Daily News ‘Rising Star’ on debut with a last-to-first victory one start before this race.
“It was an amazing run,” said Brown after the Hopeful victory. “I’m so appreciative for the horse, for Sean Flanagan [owner] to send me this horse. John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto picked this horse out at the 2-year-old sale and deserve a lot of credit. Since the day he came into the barn, he’s been such a pleasure to train. He’s a remarkable talent. I told Sean a couple of weeks ago that I think we’ve got something special here.”
Chancer McPatrick is one of two winners from three to race out of Bernardini mare Bernadreamy. He quickly proved that he’s following in his granddam’s footprints, as Dream Empress was also a 2-year-old Grade 1 winner in the Alcibiades (G1) and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The mare is also the granddam of multiple stakes winner Fireball Baby.
Dream Empress and Chancer McPatrick are the best runners in their immediate family, though Grade 1 winners Bell’s The One, Prenup, and Yonaguska and Grade 2 winners Possible Mate and Fairy Garden are also under his fourth dam.
Breaking his maiden at the track on debut in July, Chancer McPatrick was one of three winners for MCKINZIE at the Saratoga meet this year and gave the stallion a closing weekend double after Quickick broke her maiden on Sunday.