Mc Vay. (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—Mc Vay, who tested the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, returns to the stakes ranks after a dominating maiden win in Sunday’s $100,000 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
Trained by John Shirreffs, Mc Vay romped by seven lengths when earning his diploma going a mile May 18 at Santa Anita. The Constitution colt had previously run in three consecutive graded stakes culminating with the GI Santa Anita Derby. Mc Vay was fourth in the GIII Robert B. Lewis in February, third in the GII San Felipe in March and a troubled seventh in the Santa Anita Derby.
Mc Vay earned a field-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his maiden win, which came under Mike Smith. The Hall of Fame jockey will again be aboard Sunday. Owned by C R K Stable, Mc Vay is 6: 1-1-1 with $94,400 in earnings.
Trainer Bob Baffert entered maiden winners Parenting and Cornell.
Parenting makes his second start and first around two turns after winning his debut going 5 ½ furlongs here April 26. By Triple Crown winner Justify, Parenting attended the pace and then pulled clear in the stretch to score by 2 ¾ lengths under Juan Hernandez, who retains the mount.
Parenting was purchased by owner Gandharvi Stable for $750,000 at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Cornell was a supplemental entry after not being originally nominated. By Into Mischief, Cornell has not started since breaking his maiden Jan. 28 at Santa Anita when going a mile on the main track. He has worked seven times for his comeback, which includes a bullet six-furlong work in 1:11.40 last Friday.
A $675,000 auction buy as a yearling, Cornell is 3: 1-0-1 with $47,300 in earnings for an ownership group that includes SF Racing, Madaket Stables and Stonestreet Stables. He will be ridden by Abel Cedillo.
First post for a nine race card on Sunday is 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.
