Tag: Javier Castellano

‘TDN Rising Star’ Scylla Runs Up the Score at Churchill

8th-Churchill Downs, $129,430, Alw (NW1X), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 6-2, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:35.27, ft, 8 1/4 lengths.
SCYLLA (f, 3, Tapit–Close Hatches {Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,707,300}, by First Defence) was pounded into 1-3 favoritism to build on a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy display over six furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 15 and ran away from her dramatically overmatched rivals in the final stages of a one-mile Churchill allowance Friday to score with condescending ease to take a major step in the direction of stakes company. The bay filly settled between horses while racing in the second flight and had about five lengths to make up on the leaders as they raced into the turn. Perhaps a bit flat-footed at the midway point of that bend and pushed along slightly by Javier Castellano, Scylla began to find her best stride nearing the entrance to the stretch, angled out four or five wide, quickly opened daylight and was taken in hand by for the better part of the final 150 yards. Scylla is a full-sister to young Taylor Made stallion Tacitus, MGSW & MGISP, $2,267,350, and is out of the 2014 Eclipse Award-winning older mare, whose five Grade I successes included a spine-tingling defeat of Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior)–with Beholder (Henny Hughes) fourth–in the GI Ogden Phipps S. during her championship season. Close Hatches's full-sister Lockdown won the 2017 Busanda S., was third in that year's GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Cotillion S. and is responsible for SW & GSP Idiomatic (Curlin), but unfortunately passed away in 2022. Scylla has a 2-year-old full-brother named Batten Down, a yearling half-sister by Constitution and an Uncle Mo half-sister that was foaled Mar. 16. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $129,535. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I Mott.

 

 

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Arcangelo Tunes Up for Belmont

Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo (Arrogate), last-out winner of the GIII Peter Pan S., worked five furlongs in 1:02.81 (2/5) at Belmont Park Wednesday in preparation for the June 10 GI Belmont S. New York Racing Association clockers caught the grey galloping out six-furlongs in 1:15 4/5 and seven-furlongs in 1:28 4/5. Javier Castellano was in the irons.

“He's a nice, beautiful-moving horse and he did it easy. He's a good work horse. In the morning, you can work him :59 if you wanted,” Castellano said. “We all know that [the Belmont is] a mile and a half and you don't want to go crazy with a bullet work. We just give him a good foundation and I think we both agree we let him do what he wants to do in the morning and be happy. You can see he's a very happy horse and he goes to the post nice–very relaxed, comfortable rhythm. I let him gallop out and in the turn I asked him a little bit and he took off and had a good open gallop. He's a big horse, long beautiful stride. He likes to reach for more ground. The farther he can go, the more he's comfortable.”

Trained by Jena Antonucci, Arcangelo broke his maiden going one mile at Gulfstream in March and was making his stakes debut when getting his head in front on the line in the nine-furlong Peter Pan. The Belmont will be the ridgling's first start around two turns.

“It's not a secret he hasn't gone two turns yet and that's the obvious conversation and we talked a lot about that,” Antonucci said. “The second half of the work was more important for me than the first half. Going off, he was super relaxed and that's what we were looking for–I didn't want him dragging Javier to the pole and him having to take any natural ability momentum away from him. He did that perfectly and Javier was a statue aboard the horse. We wanted to get that second turn around him and Javier was concerned to smooch at him too much.”

Antonucci will be starting her first horse in a Triple Crown race as Arcangelo looks to become the first Peter Pan winner since Tonalist won the Belmont in 2014.

“They're all special, and not the be cliche, but my job is to stay out of his way,” Antonucci said. “It [the opportunity] doesn't fall on deaf ears. It's special–if it's 10 in the gate or 11 in the gate of that entire foal crop, that's a very small percentage. So, I definitely don't lose sight of that and I'm very blessed to have the opportunity and for the team to have the opportunity. They've put in a lot of work and they deserve it.”

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Top to Bottom: Derby Rundown

This week's Triple Crown feature examines the trips of GI Kentucky Derby runners in detail from first to last:

1) Mage (No. 12 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Mage, the little horse who could, was a characteristic beat slow out of the starting gate. Javier Castellano let him roll with the flow as the field sorted itself out through the first furlong, then darted to secure the rail while fourth-last the first time under the wire.

Unhurried through the turn, this son of Good Magic ($235,000 KEESEP; $290,000 EASMAY) raced several paths off the rail down the backstretch. Castellano seemed content knowing a brisk pace was percolating in front of him while aware the two late-running faves were also still parked at the back.

Edging closer, Mage tagged on behind the rapidly advancing Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) entering the far turn. Sensing two rivals ranging up from the outside and not wanting to be locked in, Castellano committed his colt to an ever-widening arc to get clear of them. Mage was still 11th while four deep three-eighths out, but he was winding up for a move that would prove to be a better-timed version of the one he uncorked in the GI Florida Derby.

Building momentum, Castellano urged Mage with a more energetic cadence and steered for home in the eight path. He set down Mage as soon as they straightened away, advancing from fifth at the quarter pole to second three-sixteenths out. Zeroing in on a tiring-but not quitting-Two Phil's (Hard Spun), Mage accosted that pacemaker at the eighth pole, with Castellano cracking his colt once right-handed.

Mage didn't exactly blow by the pesky Two Phil's, who lingered a half-length back while Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) emerged as the lone remaining danger. Mage stalled for a stride at the sixteenth pole, but refocused quickly under Castellano's persistent (but never panicked) rousing, driving home with purpose to win by a length (105 Beyer Speed Figure).

2) Two Phil's (No. 11 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Two Phil's ($150,000 RNA KEESEP) broke decently from post three, but an eighth of a mile into the race, Jareth Loveberry wanted no part of being stuck inside, so he guided his colt several paths outward. A trio of speedsters had opened up by three lengths into the first turn, and Two Phil's was in the middle of a second flight of three that crept closer on the back straightaway.

The two waves soon merged, yet even as the pack tightened, Loveberry and Two Phil's appeared relaxed and comfortable. That spot two lanes off the fence proved to be prime positioning into the far turn, because when Verifying (Justify) was first among the duelers to crack, Loveberry shot through to claim the inside passage he vacated, and within three strides Two Phil's had put away Reincarnate (Good Magic) and Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), who were both being driven while Two Phil's was opening up under hand urging.

At the head of the lane, all the spent horses were bogged down inside, and Two Phil's braced for the wide-and-driving Mage. Two Phil's was understandably fatigued from stalking the fast pace and getting first run at the leaders, and while he was no match for Mage, this colt never packed it in. He stayed on as best he could under Loveberry's urging and held second by a half-length, replicating the 2007 Derby finish of his sire, Hard Spun. He galloped out on even terms with Mage and co-earned a 105 Beyer.

3) Angel of Empire (No. 10 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Angel of Empire ($32,000 RNA KEENOV; $70,000 KEESEP) was sent away from the gate, but not so much to ask him for early speed as to put his head in the game straight from the start. He settled willingly for Flavien Prat third from last the first time through the lane, and seven-eighths out dropped from the three path onto the rail and rode it until the far turn, gradually picking off midpack stragglers as he advanced.

Prat wisely opted off the inside when Verifying began plummeting through the field, and this colt very much looked in it to win it at the top of the stretch. He was eight wide and right behind Mage, but the difference was that Mage kicked into a higher gear while Angel of Empire continued to grind along. This son of Classic Empire was still three lengths in arrears at the eighth pole when Mage made his winning move.

Angel of Empire did find his best stride in that final furlong, but it was too late. Even with an untroubled trip and zesty fractions setting things up for him, this Pennsylvania-bred's usual closing kick wasn't quite good enough to reel in Two Phil's for second-and that's despite upping his best lifetime Beyer by 10 points, from 94 to 104. The top three galloped out more or less together.

4) Disarm (No. 8 in TDN pre-race rankings)
'TDN Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner) broke inward from post nine and love-tapped Reincarnate, with neither large-framed colt fazed by the contact. Joel Rosario took every opportunity in the early running to shift this Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred deeper down toward the rail, and he found the fence within the back third of the pack by the time the field crested the clubhouse turn.

Disarm kept bettering his position while eating a fair amount of kickback, but he was never able to cut loose with a sustained run and often appeared “on hold” or on the verge of getting pocketed. He split horses on the far turn, but was walled up near the inside off the final bend, which in this year's Derby was not the place to be because of the cluster of tiring horses taking up residence there.

In upper stretch, Rosario tried to dive outward through a hole that Hit Show (Candy Ride{Arg}) got to first, so Plan B was to slice back inside, which only yielded more tight traffic for a precious half-furlong. Disarm shouldered aside the capitulating Kingsbarns, but when he finally go clear running room inside the final eighth, he had no finishing flourish.

Beaten 4 ½ lengths, Disarm was the final Derby horse in the race to be awarded a triple-digit Beyer, and that 100 represented a respectable 10-point jump off the 90s he paired in his previous two races.

5) Hit Show (No. 9 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Although he never fired despite attaining a no-excuse trip from the difficult one post, this Candy Ride (Arg) homebred for Gary and Mary West ran a commendable race, especially considering he's a May 9 foal.

Hit Show broke fluidly from the inside gate, affording Manny Franco the luxury of positioning him where he wanted in the early part of the race. Initially fifth, Hit Show got geared back to seventh through the turn, then was eased off the fence to the four path so Franco could claim a sweet, uncrowded stalking spot behind the speedsters with no one covering him up and plenty of room to maneuver.

Sixth into the far bend, Hit Show started to pick it up with a four-wide run 3 ½ furlongs out under urging from Franco. He looked poised to pounce from third turning for home, but had no response to three left-handed swats in upper stretch. In the manner of a few strides, Hit Show went from attack mode to being under siege. Mage blew by to his outside, and Hit Show stayed on doggedly, with Franco keeping him to task to get fifth money.

6) Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (No. 14 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Derma Sotogake (Jpn) broke toward the back with his head briefly turned inward. There was no rush by Christophe Lemaire to contest the pace. This ¥18,000,000 JRHJUL son of Mind Your Biscuits seemed okay placed farther back in the pack than expected despite getting pelted with kickback.

Lemaire moved decisively 4 1/2 furlongs out, splitting horses at the entrance to the far turn and initially picking off Disarm toward his inside and targeting the on-the-prowl Hit Show in front of him. Derma Sotogake seemed to be drawing a bead on the top trio off the turn, but he was quickly overtaken by Mage and Angel of Empire, whose full heads of steam stood out in contrast against his one-paced action.

“He didn't break as fast as last time but I was able to put him on the inside and save ground,” Lemaire said. “Gradually, we gained position on the final turn. I was in the best spot to make a move, he stayed on and but didn't have the speed to make it closer late.”

The field leaving the starting gate for the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby | Coady

7) Tapit Trice (No. 5 in TDN pre-race rankings)
You can watch the Derby replay as many times as you want, but trainer Todd Pletcher aptly summed up the trip for this 'TDN Rising Star' in his immediate take right after the race:  “Tapit Trice did what he always does-he broke slow and then he had to check a couple of times heading into the first turn. When it came time he couldn't get going well enough. Farther for him-we're thinking [GI] Belmont [S.].”

Luis Saez had to implore this $1.3 million KEESEP son of Tapit straight out of the starting stall, and he briefly lost momentum when Mage dropped in front of him a furlong into the race. Tapit Trice was last into the turn, but was already on the move six furlongs out, which is how he won the GI Blue Grass S.

He picked off three rivals at the back before another minor stutter-step stall a half mile out; Saez seemed conflicted going into the far turn about whether inside or outside would be best. But it really didn't matter because Tapit Trice had left himself too much work to do.

This colt did respond to far-turn rousing, but it takes Tapit Trice quite a while to fully unwind. He spun nine wide into the lane, and when it was evident he not within realistic striking distance, Saez decided to save Tapit Trice for another day.

8) Raise Cain (No. 19 in TDN pre-race rankings)
This son of Violence ($180,000 KEESEP; $65,000 RNA OBSOPN) ran a sneaky-good eighth. He broke running from post 13 and could have made the front vanguard, but Gerardo Corrales took a firm hold and guided him back, eventually latching on to a midpack spot at the fence through the first turn.

Raise Cain showed a nice ability to pick off selected targets down the backstretch, always bettering his position, and when the far turn arrived, he had achieved a tactically advantageous spot behind the too-fast frontrunners down near the inside.

Corrales pulled off a deft move when shifting outside of the tiring Verifying, then reclaiming his spot at the rail. But when the field straightened, the need to get off the plugged-up inside suddenly became desperate, and Raise Cain had to waste forward momentum by repeatedly shifting laterally through the lane. He only encountered more and more traffic, enduring some bumping that stalled his late run for good. Overall though, the effort rates much better than it looks on paper.

9) Rocket Can (No. 13 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Junior Alvarado said post-race that, “I think I had one of the best trips in the race,” and he's probably right-at least for the first mile of the journey.

Rocket Can, a $245,000 FTSAUG RNA gray, was initially a touch keen while briefly running up on heels in the first few strides, but he settled in seventh, inching closer to the action as the two front packs merged into one. He came out to the four path and enjoyed similar uncovered placement as Hit Show while edging to within four lengths of the leaders into the last turn.

After saving ground, this blinkers-on son of Into Mischief tried to punch through between rivals three-sixteenths out, but he had tiring horses on both sides and it wasn't initially apparent if Two Phil's ahead of him was stopping or staying on. By the time Alvarado called on Rocket Can for another burst, the colt had nothing left to give.

10) Confidence Game (No. 18 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Judging Confidence Game's try based on how close he was to a hot pace and how long he hung in there, his Derby 10th at 21-1 odds comes off as a likeable effort.

This $25,000 KEESEP Candy Ride (Arg) colt threw himself right into the race by breaking with good energy and securing a primo position, fourth at the rail into the turn behind a trio of eager  pacemakers.

He was fifth, then fourth for most of the backstretch run, attending the brisk splits while waiting to see how the duel would come undone. Confidence Game attempted to follow the dive-between move of Two Phil's five-sixteenths out, but Two Phil's was into the bridle with more alacrity, relegating this colt to chase mode turning for home closest to the rail.

At the eighth pole, Confidence Game was still within three of the leaders when Mage powered past Two Phil's. But he had that “spinning his wheels” look to his stride, and couldn't sustain his bid. He wasn't hammered on by James Graham when it became evident he wouldn't attain a placing.

11) Sun Thunder (No. 15 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Even with blinkers added, this late-running Into Mischief colt ($400,000 KEENOV; $495,000 RNA FTSAUG) was unhurried out of the gate, settling into stride second from last the first time past the finish.

Sun Thunder gained a few positions on the far turn and into the stretch, primarily from passing horses who had no forward momentum.

“I think we'll point to the Belmont after this,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “He was a little up against it today, but we'll come back to fight another day.”

12) Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Unranked also-eligible in TDN pre-race rankings)
Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) was a hard-charging pace presence out of gate 17 without really being hustled. He suffered only slight momentum loss when Rocket Can knifed in front of him through the stretch.

Midpack and between rivals onto the backstretch, Kazushi Kimura rode him with confidence, then shook the reins at him with a sense of urgency when fellow Japanese invader Derma Sotogake ranged alongside and quickened into the far turn.

Mandarin Hero was asked for run four deep through the bend, and he came in close quarters with the brawny Tapit Trice. But this colt kept getting passed even though he was responding to his rider.

13) Reincarnate (No. 6 in TDN pre-race rankings)
This $775,000 KEESEP son of Good Magic had Disarm bounce off his outside flank a few jumps out of the gate, but Reincarnate's natural speed carried him straight to the front, where he hooked up as the outermost horse in a three-way go.

John Velazquez tacked him back behind Verifying and Kingsbarns down the back straight, and even though this colt was incrementally edging up a half mile out, he couldn't make much of a dent in the margin because the fractions were so demanding.

Reincarnate's best chance came on the far turn when Verifying was the first to crack, but he couldn't muster an authoritative response to put away the ready-to-cave Kingsbarns. Two Phil's slipped through to his inside instead, and Velazquez concentrated on keeping his own regressing mount out of the way of onrushing contenders once he realized no final kick was coming from Reincarnate.

14) Kingsbarns (No. 7 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Kingsbarns, now a 3-for-4 son of Uncle Mo ($250,000 FTSAUG; $800,000 FTFMAR)  won a couple of in-race battles after getting a good jump out of starting stall six.

After establishing a wicked pace, Kingsbarns dueled Verifying into defeat while still in hand entering the far turn under Jose Ortiz, and then kept next-closest pursuer Reincarnate at bay.

But by the midway point on the far bend Kingsbarns had no real response when Two Phil's swallowed him up and a sizable portion of the field careened by. Although out of the race by upper stretch, Kingsbarns managed to contribute to an inside logjam that adversely affected several contenders, although none of them truly had a winning shot.

“I sacrificed going a little bit faster than I wanted to in order to be in a good spot,” Ortiz said. “I wish we could have given him a breather on the backside.”

15) King Russell (Unranked also-eligible in TDN pre-race rankings)
This $60,000 FTKOCT gray by Creative Cause overcame a wide draw from post 18 but could only scrape together a mild mid-race spurt after going four wide on the clubhouse turn.

“He made a nice move from the five-eighths pole to the three-eighths pole, and then after that, he started to get tired and give up,” said jockey Rafael Bejarano.

16) Verifying (No. 4 in TDN pre-race rankings)
Post position two sealed Verifying's fate as a Derby frontrunner, even though he is probably more accomplished and comfortable as a pace-presser.

Tyler Gaffalione let him rumble through torrid opening quarters of :22.35 and :23.38 while forced forward by the speed-centric Kingsbarns and Reincarnate. When Verifying had no more left to give, his rider did a good job wrapping up and letting him coast back through the field along the inside without incident.

The Blue Grass S. and the Derby have now made for two difficult races in a row for this May 11 foal by Justify ($775,000 KEESEP), who still figures to be a fighter at the upper echelon of the division given his underlying talent and the stout seasoning he's gotten over the past six weeks.

17) Jace's Road (No. 17 in TDN pre-race rankings)
'TDN Rising Star' Jace's Road, a $510,000 KEESEP son of Quality Road, was sent away from gate 10 and landed a key stalking spot sixth on the outside heading into the turn. But he couldn't hold his position, and lost touch by the half-mile marker.

“He broke sharp and I tried to hustle him but he could not keep up with the three horses in front,” said Florent Geroux. “He was not trying. Before I knew everyone started passing him.”

18) Cyclone Mischief (Unranked also-eligible in TDN pre-race rankings)
This $450,000 KEESEP son of Into Mischief  broke sluggishly and was widest and last a furlong into the Derby. He zoomed by nine horses before the pack hit the first turn, but got hung out five deep on that bend and soon regressed to the tail of the field.

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Kentucky Derby Magic! Mage Wins Derby 149

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Abracadabra: Mage (Good Magic) is your 149th winner of the GI Kentucky Derby.

The lightly raced GI Curlin Florida Derby runner-up, off at odds of 15-1, took advantage of a torrid early pace and rallied from as far back as 16th to reel in a very game Two Phil's (Hard Spun) by a length. Lukewarm 4-1 favorite Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) also came flying from far back to finish another half-length back in third. 'TDN Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner) rounded out the superfecta in fourth.

Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite Forte (Violence), a length ahead of Mage in the final Gulfstream prep, was withdrawn on the morning of the race with a foot issue, the well-documented fifth defection from the 1 1/4-mile Classic.

Mage, a $235,000 KEESEP yearling turned $290,000 EASMAY breezer, is campaigned in partnership by Gustavo Delgado's OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sam Herzberg's Sterling Racing LLC and Brian Doxtator and Chase Chamberlin's CMNWLTH. He is trained by Venezuela native Delgado.

A three-time winner of his home country's equivalent of the Triple Crown, Delgado's previous Grade I winners on these shores include Paola Queen (Flatter) and Bodexpress (Bodemeister).

“It's an amazing feeling,” winning co-owner and assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado, Jr. said. “I felt so confident going into this race, because my dad was the trainer. And he was telling me step by step what he was doing with the horse. It was a masterpiece.”

Restrepo, Fasig-Tipton's South Florida Field Representative and owner of Marquee Bloodstock, added, “The emotions are just through the roof, obviously. The ownership group is four different groups from four different backgrounds, all different age ranges, nationalities. I mean, it's one heck of a melting pot that came together for this horse.

“Gustavo Sr. as a trainer has had so much success in South America, and he has come here and has always had a small boutique stable, and has always wanted to increase his presence to have more quality horses with a lot more owners.

“Myself as a bloodstock agent, who has been trying to increase his profile as well, we kind of combined forces three years ago to start buying horses domestically and internationally and try to invest a little money and use the relationships that I have here to bring in people that are willing to have the faith to go forward with us and take the swing.”

Mage joins some very exclusive company to win the Derby while making just his fourth career start. The filly Regret did it way back in 1915, dual Classic winner Big Brown ended the drought in 2008 and Triple Crown winner Justify pulled it off most recently in 2018.

A front-running debut winner sprinting at Gulfstream Jan. 28, Mage was an unlucky fourth after an impossible trip while making his two-turn debut in the GII Fountain of Youth S. and ran too good to lose after unleashing an explosive five-wide rally on the far turn and leading in deep stretch last time in the Florida Derby.

How the Race Was Won…

So much for a paceless Derby.

Verifying (Justify), Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) and Reincarnate (Good Magic) all had running on their minds and led the field of 18 through blazing opening fractions of :22.35 and :45.73.

The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Two Phil's and Jareth Loveberry, meanwhile, raced just behind the leaders in fourth while Mage only had three horses beaten heading into the backstretch.

Jockey Javier Castellano, ahem, began to work his magic from the back of the pack as Mage sliced his way through traffic.

Two Phil's punched his way through an inviting opening along the rail on the far turn and kicked for home leading the way to the roar of 150,335 as Mage and GI Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire were beginning to launch on the far outside.

Castellano had Mage completely rolling at this point and entered the stretch in the seven path with dead aim on leader. Two Phil's knuckled down admirably down the stretch, but began to feel the impact of the scorching early pace close to home. Mage took over leaving the eighth pole behind and carried his Hall of Fame rider across the wire for a long-overdue first Kentucky Derby win from 16 mounts.

“I'm so thankful for the opportunity to ride the horse,” the four-time Eclipse Award winner Castellano said. “The whole team gave me the opportunity to ride this horse in the biggest race in the world. I had a lot of confidence in myself this year would be the year. I thought this year would be the year. This horse was unbelievable today.”

Mage Pedigree Notes…

Good Magic may have lost the battle for leading freshman sire as 2022 drew to a close, finishing second to Bolt d'Oro by a slim margin, but he has certainly won the war. The Hill 'n' Dale sire, who himself finished second in the 2018 Derby to Justify (third on that same first-crop sire list last year) after a championship juvenile campaign, is now safely perched alone on top. He came into this year's Derby with two chances–Mage and Reincarnate–and now leads the second-crop sire charts with two winners at the highest level in his nascent sire career. Kentucky Derby winner Mage joins 'TDN Rising Star' Blazing Sevens as another Grade I winner for the son of Curlin. Good Magic, with nine black-type winners and six graded winners, has been standing this season for $50,000.

It's impossible to mention Good Magic without also noting his sire, Curlin, who was third in the 2007 Derby–also in his fourth career start–and also stands at Hill 'n' Dale as one of the elite sires in the U.S. Curlin has no fewer than four sons who have sired Grade I winners and this marks the second consecutive year one of his sons has sired the Derby winner after Keen Ice supplied 80-1 Rich Strike last year. Curlin had another moment in the sun earlier on this year's Derby undercard when Cody's Wish captured the GI Churchill Downs S.

While a few of Good Magic's stakes horses have hailed from Storm Cat lines, Mage is out of a Big Brown mare. The 2008 Derby winner, a Danzig-line stallion, stands in New York at Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions. Mage is the ninth black-type winner out of one of his daughters.

Robert Clay's Grandview Equine bred Mage out of Puca, a mare he purchased for $475,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November sale in foal to Gun Runner. Clay knows more than the average person about Gun Runner, as the young sire sensation stands at Three Chimneys, the farm Clay founded and eventually sold to Goncalo Torrealba. Incidentally, Big Brown started his stud career there, too.

Mage's dam was a 'TDN Rising Star' in 2014 after she won by more than 16 lengths at Belmont. The eventual 2015 GII Gazelle S. runner-up and half to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}) has a 2-year-old full-brother to Mage–sold for $325,000 at Keeneland September to Oracle Bloodstock–and a yearling colt by McKinzie. For details on how Clay acquired Puca, as well as his stake in young stallion Olympiad, and why Puca visited both Olympiad and Good Magic this year, click to read last week's TDN feature Mage Benefits from Feet of Clay.

Puca traces directly to an outstanding Greentree family and the 1936 mare Alms, a half-sister to Hall of Famer and 1931 Kentucky Derby winner Twenty Grand, whose rivalry with Equipoise was legendary.  –by Jill Williams

What They're Saying…

“In the turn, the whole opened up and I said I can't wait. He proved he is a world-class horse today.” —Two Phil's jockey Jareth Loveberry

“We might have just gone a little too quick. Got to take a shot.” —Verifying's jockey Tyler Gaffalione

“Angel of Empire ran well. It was a hot pace. Down the backside he had a few beat. We had a little bit of excitement down the lane. I thought (Angel of Empire) had a shot. Hit Show had a beautiful trip from the one hole. We were close, but we come here to win it, so I'm a little disappointed. Overall, very happy with the horses' performances. Off to Preakness with somebody. We have First Mission. This is demanding. I don't know if I'll run any of these horses back in two weeks.” —Brad Cox, trainer of Angel of Empire (third), Hit Show (fifth), Jace's Road (17th) & Verifying (16th)

“Tapit Trice did what he always does–he broke slow and then he had to check a couple of times heading into the first turn. When it came time he couldn't get going well enough. We're thinking Belmont. Kingsbarns ran as far as he could and as hard as he could, but the half mile was a little too fast for him and he just couldn't keep up.” —Todd Pletcher, trainer of Tapit Trice (seventh) & Kingsbarns (14th)

“He faced some of the best 3-year-olds in the country. Obviously, I was hoping for a better finish today. I loved that he continued on, through it all. He was fourth today, and he's a solid horse. The race could have been smoother for everybody. You put 18 in there, there was a lot of contact and stuff like that. He took a whole lot of dirt on the backside. You could tell it was a little confusing to him for a ways down the backside, but he stayed on well. It looked like when he got a seam there, about the eighth pole, he could do it. Then he still finished up OK.” –Steve Asmussen, trainer of Disarm (fourth)

Two More Equine Deaths at Churchill Downs…

It wasn't all roses on Kentucky Derby day.

The Kentucky Derby day program was marred by two equine fatalties–the stakes-placed Freezing Point (Frosted) in the GII Pat Day Mile S. and the maiden Chloe's Dream (Honor Code) (2nd race)–making it seven horse deaths beneath the Twin Spires since Apr. 27.

A statement from Churchill Downs Inc. released late on Saturday evening read,

“Two horses sustained severe injuries during today's Churchill Downs race card. Chloe's Dream suffered a right knee fracture in Race 2 at the top of the first turn. Freezing Point incurred a left front biaxial sesamoid fracture in Race 8 midway down the backstretch. In the interest of pursuing the most humane treatment for each horse, the owner, trainer and private veterinarian, in consultation with a board-certified equine surgeon, made the difficult decision to euthanize. We express our most sincere condolences to those connections who cared for and loved Chloe's Dream and Freezing Point.

It is with the utmost sadness that we report these tragic fatal injuries. Churchill Downs is unwavering in our commitment to the health and well-being of equine safety. The equine fatalities leading to this year's Kentucky Derby are a sobering reminder of the urgent need to mobilize our industry in order to explore every avenue possible and effectively minimize any avoidable risk in the sport.

Despite our determination to continually improve upon the highest industry standards, there is more to be done and we will rigorously work to understand what caused these incidents and build upon our existing data, programs and practices to better understand what has been incredibly difficult for us to witness and accept this week.

While each incident reported has been unique, it is important to note that there has been no discernable pattern detected in the injuries sustained. Our track surfaces are closely monitored by industry experts to ensure their integrity. Each horse that participates in racing at Churchill Downs must undergo multiple, comprehensive veterinarian exams and observations to ensure their fitness to race.

From here, we will fully and actively work with the Kentucky Horseracing Commission (KHRC) and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) to thoroughly investigate each incident to determine, to the degree possible, any underlying health or environmental causes and apply those learnings to continue to improve the safety of this sport. Together, we all want what is best for the horses.

The team at Churchill Downs works year-round to deliver an inspiring and world-class event to thousands of fans, but also to provide the safest racing environment each and every day. We are proud of the enduring legacy of the Kentucky Derby and these magnificent horses are central to its iconic appeal. While we believe the incidents leading to this year's Derby are anomalies, they are unacceptable and we remain steadfast in our commitment to safety and integrity.”

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority issued a statement of its own late Saturday, which read:

“HISA mourns the losses of Chloe's Dream and Freezing Point alongside their connections and the entire racing community. HISA's mission is to vigorously protect the safety of our horses and riders. The Racetrack Safety Program has been in effect since July 2022 and requires thorough pre-race veterinary inspections to ensure every horse is fit to race and holds every track to rigorous safety and maintenance standards.

“Churchill Downs has been cooperating with HISA since its inception and is in full compliance with our rules and processes. On the morning of each race, every horse undergoes a hands-on inspection and is observed in motion outside their stall. A team of Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulatory veterinarians also views each horse in the paddock, during the post parade and as they approach and load into the starting gate. If a horse is deemed unfit to race by the regulatory veterinarians, it will be scratched, as was the case in a number of circumstances this week. Both Chloe's Dream and Freezing Point passed all inspections without incident.

“Additionally, Churchill Downs retained Mick Peterson, Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and the preeminent racetrack surface expert, to ensure safe and consistent conditions across racing and training surfaces. Peterson was previously retained by HISA as part of its national accreditation process, and we are confident in his ability to identify potential issues at play. Dr. Peterson has assured both HISA and Churchill Downs that the racing surface is safe.
“HISA is in constant communication with the KHRC as it leads investigations into the recent fatalities, and has already initiated its own, fully independent, investigation. HISA will share more details as they are available.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
KENTUCKY DERBY PRESENTED BY WOODFORD RESERVE-GI, $3,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 3yo, 1 1/4m, 2:01.57, ft.
1–MAGE, 126, c, 3, by Good Magic
                1st Dam: Puca (SW & GSP, $299,406),
                                by Big Brown
                2nd Dam: Boat's Ghost, by Silver Ghost
                3rd Dam: Rocktheboat, by Summer Squall
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN,
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($235,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $290,000 2yo '22
EASMAY). O-OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo,
Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH; B-Grandview Equine (KY);
T-Gustavo Delgado; J-Javier Castellano. $1,860,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-1-0, $2,107,200. *1/2 to Gunning (Gun Runner),
MSP, $271,835. Werk Nick Rating: C.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Two Phil's, 126, c, 3, Hard Spun–Mia Torri, by General
Quarters. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Patricia's Hope LLC, Phillip Sagan and Madaket Stables LLC;
B-Phillip Sagan (KY); T-Larry Rivelli. $600,000.
3–Angel of Empire, 126, c, 3, Classic Empire–Armony's Angel,
by To Honor and Serve. ($32,000 RNA Wlg '20 KEENOV;
$70,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC;
B-Forgotten Land Investment Inc & Black Diamond Equine
Corp (PA); T-Brad H. Cox. $300,000.
Margins: 1, HF, 3. Odds: 15.21, 9.87, 4.06.
Also Ran: Disarm, Hit Show, Derma Sotogake (Jpn), Tapit Trice, Raise Cain, Rocket Can, Confidence Game, Sun Thunder, Mandarin Hero (Jpn), Reincarnate, Kingsbarns, King Russell, Verifying, Jace's Road, Cyclone Mischief. Scratched: Continuar (Jpn), Forte, Lord Miles, Practical Move, Skinner.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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