Baffert bombshell: McKinzie to have new jockey in Breeders' Cup Classic

McKinzie will have a new rider in the Breeders' Cup after Bob Baffert decided that Mike Smith, who has ridden the colt on all 13 of his starts, will be replaced in the Classic at Santa Anita in November.

Baffert and Smith teamed up to win the 2016 Classic with Arrogate but the trainer was clearly less than impressed by the jockey's ride when McKinzie could manage only second as 30-100 favourite in last weekend's Awesome Again Stakes.

However, despite that defeat the horse remains outright Classic favourite with most firms, so it will be fascinating to see which new rider the trainer turns to, and Paddy Power have created a market.

Baffert's other two Classic winners, American Pharoah (2015) and Bayern (2014), were ridden by Victor Espinoza and Martin Garcia, although neither jockey is the trainer's first choice these days.

John Velazquez recently had a Grade 1 double for the stable on a rare trip to the west coast and the suspicion is Baffert would love to secure his services.

John Velazquez: winner of the Travers on Code Of Honor has been made a 5-1 shot by Paddy Power to replace Mike SmithCredit: Steve Dennis

But Velazquez partnered Code Of Honor to win the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup, so it would be a big deal – and possibly a sign of things to come – if he switched mounts.

The Ortiz brothers, Jose and Irad, seem likely to ride Elate and Vino Rosso and neither rider has had a Graded winner for Baffert.

The likes of Flavien Prat, Joe Talamo and Drayden Van Dyke, all based in southern California, are possible as well as Javier Castellano. Each has ridden Grade 1 winners for Baffert.

There is also a feeling Joel Rosario could be the jockey trusted with the ride. He won last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile on the now-sidelined Game Winner for Baffert, and also inflicted a narrow defeat on McKinzie in a Grade 1 over the Classic course and distance on Gift Box in April. He also won last year's Classic on Accelerate.

Rosario is the regular partner of Bill Mott's Yoshida, fourth in last year's Classic and a live outsider this time, but there seems a fair chance he'll end up on McKinzie.

Paddy Power: 3-1 Joe Talamo, 7-2 Flavien Prat, 5-1 John Velazquez, 6-1 Javier Castellano, 8-1 Drayden Van Dyke, Irad Ortiz, Jose Ortiz, 9-1 Joel Rosario, 12-1 Victor Espinoza, 14-1 Florent Geroux, 16-1 Abel Cedillo, Martin Garcia, 33-1, Christophe Soumillon, Frankie Dettori, 50-1 bar

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