Bob Baffert was not talking about Triple Crown winner Justify. No, the Hall of Fame trainer was talking about McKinzie, moments after the three-year-old colt returned from six-month layoff to win the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 22nd.

As Justify began to settle in at Ashford Stud in Lexington, Kentucky, McKinzie dutifully picked up the baton and kept Baffert on the road to the Breeders’ Cup Classic with a facile win against eight rivals in the nine-furlong stakes. Sent off the favorite, the three-year-old son of Street Sense found a comfortable stalking spot under Mike Smith and powered home over longshots Axelrod and Trigger Warning. Second choice Hofburg failed to menace and wound up fourth.