Tag: Mage

Saez To Partner With Mage In Travers

Luis Saez will ride Mage (Good Magic) in the upcoming GI Travers S., it was announced Tuesday afternoon in a tweet from trainer Gustavo Delgado, Sr.

He replaces Javier Castellano, who won the GI Kentucky Derby aboard the colt and also guided him to a third-place finish in the GI Preakness S. and a runner-up effort in the GI Haskell S. Saez rode Mage to a second-place finish in the GI Florida Derby. Saez opted to ride Tapit Trice (Tapit) in the Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher. Tapit Trice finished seventh.

Castellano is also the regular rider of Arcangelo (Arrogate) and won the GI Belmont S. on that colt for trainer Jena Antonucci. Like Mage, Arcangelo is being pointed to the Aug. 26 Travers.

“We have a tremendous amount of love and respect for Javier and we accomplished together what is a lifetime dream for everybody in racing,” said Mage co-owner Ramiro Restrepo. “We are fully cognizant, fully aware of the difficult decision that he was facing when it came to picking between two very talented colts, both winners of American Classic races.

“It is our understanding that there will be a full field in the Travers of 11 or 12 horses. With most of those horses, they have riders spoken for them. We know Javier was having a difficult time choosing between both horses. There's not many jockeys available as the field is starting to take shape. We didn't want to be put in a position where we were left without a top rider if Javier chose otherwise. It was in our best interest to secure a rider who knows the horse and rode him to a great second-place finish in the Florida Derby.”

Restrepo said the decision was made by the Mage camp and not by Castellano.

“We spoke with Javier a few days ago and chatted about the situation,” Restrepo said. “We asked them how they were going to proceed. Several days went by since then and Javier wasn't able to give us a decision. He said he was still mulling things over. At that point, we needed to be proactive and go ahead and make a decision.”

Earlier this week, Castellano sat down with Mike Kane to discuss the decision-making process.

 

 

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Tough Call For Castellano: Who to Ride in Travers?

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – To Mage (Good Magic) or to Arcangelo (Arrogate)? That is the question Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano faces as he decides which colt he will ride in the GI Travers S. on Aug. 26.

For Castellano, who has a record six wins in the oldest and most famous stake at Saratoga Race Course, it is a beautiful yet difficult problem. An embarrassment of riches. He must choose between Mage, who carried him to his first victory in the GI Kentucky Derby, or Arcangelo, his first GI Belmont S. winner. The trainers of both horses–Gustavo Delgado handles Mage and Jena Antonucci, who has developed Arcangelo–want his services in the Travers.

With two weeks and a few days to go, Castellano, 45, has yet to announce whether he will be on the gray, Arcangelo, or the chestnut, Mage.

“They're both really good horses,” Castellano said. “You can't compare them. They are both well bred. One, he wins the Derby. One, he wins the Belmont. They both fit perfectly in the distance and they have proved it. It's tough.”

Both colts are connected to the Travers through their pedigrees. Arcangelo's sire, Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), won the 2016 Travers at 11-1 in a track record time of 1:59.36. Mage is from the first crop of Good Magic (Curlin), who finished ninth as the favorite in the 2018 Travers, his final career start.

Castellano's connection with Delgado goes back decades to their home country, Venezuela, where his father rode for the distinguished trainer, who is now based in Florida. He has ridden Mage four times: fourth in the GII Fountain of Youth S., the Derby victory, third in the GI Preakness, and, most recently, second in the GI Haskell on July 22. On Arcangelo for Antonucci, he is perfect: a Mar. 18 maiden special weight at Gulfstream, the GII Peter Pan S. and the Belmont, both at Belmont Park.

“I keep praying and I hope I make the right decision because somebody is going to get upset,” he said.

Through the decades, the outcome of the Travers, first run in 1864, has often helped determine the 3-year-old male division championship. That very well could happen again this year with the three Triple Crown race winners, Mage, Preakness victor National Treasure (Quality Road) and Arcangelo on course for the race.

Will Castellano be aboard Arcangelo or Mage?

“I really don't know,” he said after working Arcangelo Sunday morning.

Castellano said he was impressed with the way Arcangelo breezed five furlongs in 1:00.21 and followed with a lusty gallop out. He said the colt owned by Blue Rose Farm is now more focused about his works and does things very easily.

While that was an endorsement, Castellano said it does not mean he has committed to the colt for the Travers.

“We'll see. We'll see how he comes out of this work,” Castellano said. “I have to meet with Gustavo to see what is his plan.”

In his first timed work after the Haskell, Mage breezed five furlongs in 1:01.03 on Saturday under his regular exercise rider, J.J. Delgado. He is likely to work again Friday.

Castellano said that Mage “put in a great effort in the Haskell. He ran such a great race. Unfortunately, he finished second, but he made a great effort. He missed a couple of works going into that race. I think he's a good horse.”

In 27 seasons of riding in North America, Castellano has 5,687 wins from 31,531 starts. He is second behind John Velazquez in career earnings with $388,185,850. Despite all his experience and success, Castellano said this who-shall-I-ride quandry is new territory for him.

“We're talking about two Triple Crown horses. It's never happened before in my life,” he said. “Of course, I've had a lot of tough decisions with 3-year-old campaigns in the past. I've been in that position before, but not like this. This is really, really special. This is something you have to be very careful with. Everything works out for some reason. I'll keep praying, hope I make the right decision and go from there.”

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Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Breezes for Travers

OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and CMNWLTH's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) breezed five furlongs in 1:01.03 (5/9) at Saratoga Saturday in preparation for the GI Travers S. Aug. 26.

NYRA Clockers caught the Gustavo Delgado trainee through splits of :12.58, :24.49 and :36.35 over the main track.

“Very good, because it was very easy,” Delgado said of the work, which was Mage's first breeze since finishing second in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22. “The rider said to me, 'no complaints.' Very intelligent and concentrated. He came back and wasn't breathing heavy and was quite focused. We can't ask for more. We wanted whatever the horse wanted to do. It's two weeks after the Haskell, so we had no expectations and he didn't need to hit a mark.”

Restrepo added, “I'm super happy. He galloped out strong and he's really feeling himself. He's really enjoying Saratoga and a lot of horses take to it here. It's like a horse paradise for them and for ourselves. We go week-by-week in this process.”

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Saturday Insights: Prolific Siblings The Name Of The Game In Saturday Action

7th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 3:52 p.m.

Leading off a group of well-related maiden colts at the Spa, DORNOCH (Good Magic), the full-brother to this year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, finally gets to debut after failing to draw in as a main-track only entry last week. A $325,000 Keeneland September yearling, the Danny Gargan trainee recorded a four-furlong work from the gate in :46 2/5 July 22, the best of 119 at the distance. The dam, herself a stakes-winning and graded-stakes placed 'TDN Rising Star', is a half to GISW Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}). Jockey Luis Saez gets aboard for owners West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC and Two Eights Racing.

Drawn furthest outside of the bunch, Act of Mutiny (Quality Road), a homebred for W.S. Farish, is a half to MGSW and young sire Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) along with GSW/GISP Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}) and MGSW Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}).

One of the few starters with any experience, Lambo (Uncle Mo) finished a distant second as the favorite at Ellis Park June 22–his first start since bringing $950,000 at the OBS March Sale earlier this year. This colt's second dam is champion 2-year-old filly Storm Song (Summer Squall), also the second dam of MG1SW Order of St George (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen. TJCIS PPS

1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 5:00 p.m.

A China Horse Club-bred colt, Heartland (Justify) claims MGISW and champion 2-year-old colt Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) as his half-brother. Picked up by his breeder in partnership with Siena Farm and Winstar Farm for $575,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale, the chestnut posted a best-of-74 work from the gate July 14, covering the distance in :46 2/5 for trainer Bob Baffert. TJCIS PPS

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