ARCADIA, CA—OCTOBER 29, 2017—McKenzie (TB ), a 2-year-old Street Sense colt trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was an impressive maiden winner in his first start Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

Baffert named the colt McKinzie after his longtime friend and Los Alamitos Race Course executive Brad McKinzie, who died from renal carcinoma Aug. 6 at the age of 62.

Owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, McKinzie's debut in the seventh race Saturday at Santa Anita Park sent a chill up the spine of anyone who had a clue what his name represented.

In the seven-furlong race on the main track, the $170,000 Keeneland Sale graduate made a wide move in the turn under jockey Mike Smith before cruising by the front-runners to win by 5-˝ lengths.

"That was for Brad," Smith said as he guided the colt in the winner's circle.

Brad McKinzie, a longtime Los Alamitos Race Course executive and Quarter Horse enthusiast, was a classmate of Baffert's at the University of Arizona. He is the person responsible for getting the Hall of Fame trainer to make the move to Southern California when he was training Quarter Horses in the 1980s.

"He meant so much to us. He was like a brother," Baffert said after the race. "My mother used to call him her favorite son. That's how close we were. He's always been the biggest supporter of mine, so it was very emotional.

"There's not a day or week where we don't think about him. He was always part of our family gatherings, so I just hope this horse stays healthy and we can enjoy it."

The next step in McKinzie's racing career could be at the place his namesake loved with a passion.

"We'll run him back in the Los Al (Thoroughbred) Futurity," Baffert said.