Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket at $950,000 for Hip 644, a striking bay colt by McKinzie , on behalf of the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership during the third session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 11.
Hip 644 was consigned by Gainesway for breeders Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Brian Graves. The Kentucky-bred colt is the second foal out of the Will Take Charge mare Take Charge Angel, a half sister to 2022 Del Mar Futurity (G1) and American Pharoah Stakes (G1) hero Cave Rock (Arrogate). Hip 644's second dam is the grade 3-winning juvenile Georgie's Angel.
"Physically (Hip 644) was a great horse, he was a very straightforward horse from the moment we laid eyes on him," said Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock. "There's quite a criteria for these horses to jump through; from Donato, Bob (Baffert), our veterinary team, and from our partnership crew. We do quite a bit of work to qualify these horses to begin with, and he qualifies on every measure."
Ryan, who purchased eight yearlings in partnership for a total of $4,545,000 during Wednesday's session, reported that the colt would be sent to trainer Bob Baffert.
Gainesway's McKinzie is off to a strong start with his first 2-year-olds this year, including his first grade 1 winner in Chancer McPatrick. That colt won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course Sept. 2, and the following weekend the sire's McKinzie Street finished a game second in the Sept. 8 Del Mar Futurity (G1). Overall, he's sired seven 2-year-old winners through Sept. 10.
"We've been investors in McKinzie from the time he went and stood at Gainesway," Ryan said. "He was a horse that Bob (Baffert) raced, he ran seven or eight 100-plus Beyers. He was a great racehorse.
"It looks like his stock is more precocious, maybe, than he was himself. He's producing a very commercial horse."
McKinzie was a $170,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2016. He banked more than $3.6 million on the racetrack, notching grade 1 wins at 2, 3, and 4 before retiring with eight wins from 18 starts. He stood the 2024 breeding for a fee of $30,000.
"(Hip 644) was one of the most athletic colts on the farm we've raised all year. He's a really special horse," said Gainesway chairman Antony Beck. "I think he is going to be an outstanding racehorse. He just glided along. He's a really handsome horse. Never had a moment wrong with him. He just got better and better, and I think the best is yet to come on the track."
