McKinzie Street wasn’t good enough to win either the Del Mar Futurity (G1) or the American Pharoah (G1), which were won by Gaming and Citizen Bull, respectively. He is, however, likely good enough to take home the top prize in the $100,000 Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar on Sunday.
The form of those two Grade 1 events looks even stronger following the result of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) two weeks ago, when Citizen Bull and Gaming ran one-two for the entire 1 1/16 miles. For McKinzie Street, who won on debut by more than three lengths in late July, the drop in class and the cutback in distance to seven furlongs should suit.
Bullard, a son of Gun Runner, made a winning debut at Del Mar on Sept. 1, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths going six furlongs and earning a 92 Brisnet Speed rating. Four starters from that race have since graduated.
Trainer Bob Baffert typically has the horse to beat in the Bob Hope. He’s won the race seven of the 10 years it’s been run at Del Mar and won it an additional six times when it was run as the Hollywood Prevue at the defunct Hollywood Park.
Baffert relies on Kalea Bay, who bounced from a runner-up finish to Bullard to break his maiden third time out by 8 1/2 lengths in late September, and the first-time starter Madaket Road, a $650,000 yearling purchase by Quality Road and out of Grade 2 heroine Frolic’s Dream.
The field is completed by last-out maiden winners Dr Ruben M and Maximus, both of whom have form to find based on their previous records.
