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Good Magic’s ‘Rising Star’ Muth Tops Baffert Exacta in American Pharoah

Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (c, 2, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo), second as the heavy favorite after pressing a blistering pace in the GIII Best Pal S. Aug. 13, showed a new dimension by coming off the pace while making his two-turn debut in style in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to his Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) in second. Be You (Curlin) was third.

Muth becomes a record-extending 12th American Pharoah winner for Baffert. He's captured five out of the past six runnings of the race named in honor of his 2015 Triple Crown winner.

“I love the way Muth settled,” Baffert said. “When I saw that I thought, 'well, we'll see how good he is,' and I think (jockey) Juan (Hernandez) just helped him a lot today. It is nice when you have two nice colts. (Wine Me Up) definitely earned his way into the Breeders' Cup. We still have (Best Pal and GI Del Mar Futurity winner) Prince of Monaco (Speightstown), too. We just have to keep them healthy.”

The 2-5 favorite, purchased by Amr Zedan for a sale-topping $2 million earlier this year at OBS March, rated kindly in an inside fourth as his aforementioned stablemate led through fractions of :23.30 and :46.49. Muth was ridden to take on Wine Me Up approaching the quarter pole, took over with authority in the stretch and drew clear late to win for fun.

Muth romped by 8 3/4 lengths in front-running fashion on debut at Santa Anita June 18 prior to finishing 4 1/4 lengths adrift stablemate Prince of Monaco in the six-furlong Best Pal at Del Mar.

“He surprised me the way he relaxed today because he is normally a really aggressive horse,” Hernandez said. “Out of the gate he's fast. Bob and his team have been working with him trying to get him to relax.”

He added, “I think this is the best horse I've ever ridden so far, I mean Cave Rock was one of the best, but this one is pretty close. Hopefully we can stay healthy and we can get him in the Breeders' Cup.”

Pedigree Notes:

Muth becomes the third winner at the top level and eighth graded stakes winner overall for his young sire Good Magic, who is also the sire of this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Broodmare sire Uncle Mo is now responsible for eight graded winners, including GISW and leading GI Breeders' Cup Classic contender Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}).

The first foal out of the winning Don Alberto homebred Hoppa (Uncle Mo), Muth brought $190,000 from the Gladwell family's pinhooking partnership out of the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment on day seven of last year's Keeneland September sale. Muth was the buzz horse of OBS March after delivering a :9 3/5 bullet breeze and a sensational gallop out for Top Line Sales during the under-tack show.

As profiled by Steve Sherack in our special American Pharoah Preview Edition, Zedan also purchased fellow GISWs 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) ($2.3 million OBS April) and 'TDN Rising Star' Princess Noor (Not This Time) ($1.35 million OBS April) off of Top Line Sales at 2-year-old sales in Ocala.

Muth's breeder Don Alberto purchased Handoverthecat (Tale of the Cat), with Hoppa in utero, for $170,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. Hoppa's yearling filly by Violence was purchased by Rigney Racing for $385,000 at Keeneland September. Hoppa was bred back to Good Magic after producing a filly by Tacitus this year.

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
AMERICAN PHAROAH S.-GI, $301,500, Santa Anita, 10-7, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.45, ft.
1–MUTH, 122, c, 2, by Good Magic
                1st Dam: Hoppa, by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Handoverthecat, by Tale of the Cat
                3rd Dam: Frayne, by Red Ransom
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $256,600. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wine Me Up, 122, c, 2, Vino Rosso–Deanaallen'skitten, by Kitten's Joy. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($115,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $300,000 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman; B-Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Be You, 122, c, 2, Curlin–Jacaranda, by Congrats. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($320,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $36,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 5 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 9.00, 5.10.
Also Ran: Raging Torrent, Rothschild, Indispensable, Next Level, El Magnifico.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.

VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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‘It Takes A Village’: Connections Persevere With Artie’s Storm, Unlock Durham Cup Win

Artie's Storm, under Emma-Jayne Wilson, got by one foe and then held off another in Saturday's $150,000 Durham Cup (G3) at Woodbine.

A pair of multiple graded stakes-placed talents, namely, Wolfie's Dynaghost and Algiers (Ire), vied for early control in the 1 1/16-mile main track feature for 3-year-olds and up, with the former taking command into the first turn. Wolfie's Dynaghost, an eight-time winner from 23 starts, was a length in front of slight favorite Treason, while second choice Algiers sat third through a spirited opening quarter in :24.55. Artie's Storm, sent off at 5-1, was fifth of seven.

Wolfie's Dynaghost continued to call the shots through a half-mile in :48.22, followed by Treason, Algiers and War Court, while Wilson kept the 5-year-old son of We Miss Artie out of Tiz Stormy, by Tiznow, in fifth, but well within striking range of their rivals.

It was still Wolfie's Dynaghost on the front end turning for home, as Algiers and jockey Robert Havlin, pinned down along the rail, looked for a path to engage the front-runner. Artie's Storm had something brewing to the outside and began to come with a spirited run in early stretch.

Artie's Storm wrested the lead away from Wolfie's Dynaghost but was quickly confronted by Algiers, who had split the pair. At the wire, Artie's Storm was a half-length winner for trainer and owner Paul Buttigieg. Algiers was a neck ahead of Wolfie's Dynaghost for second. Treason was fourth.

The final time was 1:41.08. War Bomber (Ire) and U S Army Corps were scratched.

“I wanted to be within range,” said Wilson. “That was the whole thing. Paul said to Rick [assistant trainer, Hayashi], 'Just make sure he's within range and he'll give you that kick.' That's what it was for me, getting that range, getting that split and getting that seam.”

It was a welcome result for the connections, who had watched the dark bay, a multiple graded stakes winner, contend with a few setbacks since the spring.

“He had a lot of problems early with his feet and his blood was all out of whack,” noted Hayashi. “It just took a long time to get him to where he is today. I've got to give a lot of credit to our blacksmith, John Staples. The horse had nothing but bruised feet all the time, and John came up with these protective shields for him. Since he's had them on, he's turned the corner.”

That gave Wilson confidence Artie's Storm could produce a big effort against top-notch competition.

“Knowing how good he was going and knowing that he had turned the corner, I expected a good kick. I was expecting a good kick and if I could get the trip, I could get the kick. And if I got the kick, I was hopeful that I could at least be second. You never want to run for second money, you ride for the win.

“Down the backside, as the pace was setting up, everything was tight and everyone was paying attention to where everybody was. I had a chance to move through the turn and get a line to the outside. Once I had that straight shot, if he gave me the kick like we all thought he could. … This is his home court, and he comes to play every time.”

With the win after finishing second in last year's edition of the race, Artie's Storm is now 7-5-5 from 22 starts.

“You can just see in this situation that it takes a village,” said Wilson. “Rick gave credit to Mr. John Staples, but it's more than that. I got to be on the glory stage and ride the horse in the race, but all spring, this is something they've been working on with this horse from the get-go to get him good, and they got him good. They earned this and they deserve it.”

Artie's Storm, who was bred in Ontario by Sunrise Farm, paid $13.80 for the win.

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