First-crop sires: Good Magic's Vegas Magic eyes Del Mar Debutante

TwinSpires.com is following prominent first-crop sires whose two-year-olds are hitting the track this season. The first winners for Good Magic, the champion two-year-old colt of 2017, were profiled in the opening installment. 

Since our initial profile of Good Magic in the freshman sires series, three of his early winners have furnished stakes updates. Vegas Magic, who became his first graded winner in the Sorrento (G2), is pointing for Saturday’s Del Mar Debutante (G1). Curly Jack almost won an Ellis Park stakes, and Blazing Sevens placed third in Monday’s Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga.

Stakes updates from Del Mar, Ellis, and Saratoga

Vegas Magic wins Sorrento (G2)

Vegas Magic extended her record to a perfect 3-for-3 in the Aug. 13 Sorrento. Although the Doug O’Neill trainee was coming off a dramatic, up-in-time score in the Everett Nevin S. at Pleasanton, she was overlooked at odds of 14.70-1 at Del Mar.

Indeed, the price suggested that Vegas Magic was even the third-stringer from her own barn. But she exceeded expectations by reeling in Michael McCarthy’s 7-10 favorite Procrastination. Under a drive by Abel Cedillo on the far turn, Vegas Magic rallied from just off the pace and edged 1 1/4 lengths clear.

Her time for six furlongs was a modest 1:11.46, resulting in an 86 Brisnet Speed figure. Cedillo was already talking about a mile for her in the postrace quotes, so look for Vegas Magic to show more as the distances increase.

Curly Jack just misses in Ellis Park Juvenile

Good Magic nearly made it a stakes double that weekend when Curly Jack, his first-ever winner, just missed in the Aug. 14 Ellis Park Juvenile. Bet down to 6-5 favoritism off a fifth in the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga, the Tom Amoss pupil looked on the way to victory as he collared Top Recruit. That rival knuckled down and fought back in a rousing stretch duel, ultimately heading Curly Jack on the line. Top Recruit clocked seven furlongs in 1:24.40, and both colts produced career-best 93 Speed ratings.

Blazing Sevens third in Hopeful (G1)

In the Hopeful on Labor Day, the Chad Brown-trained Blazing Sevens went off as the 4.30-1 third choice. The track was awash in slop, unlike the fast conditions of his impressive debut win, and he didn’t show the same tactical dimension. Last of six early, Blazing Sevens made mild headway into a non-threatening third, 12 lengths behind the victorious Forte. The conditions likely had some bearing on the result, so we’ll get a better gauge on him back on a fast track.

New winners

Mister Muldoon graduated second time out at Canterbury Park Aug. 28, in a 6 1/2-furlong off-the-turf maiden, for McLean Robertson. A distant third as the 8-5 favorite in his five-furlong debut Aug. 13, he appreciated the added ground here as a 3.70-1 chance. Mister Muldoon made a rail-skimming move on the far turn to take command and held sway by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:19.30 on a muddy track.

The 76 Speed rating is forgettable, but he might improve when finding an opportunity on turf. His dam, Irish-bred Hazy Glow, is an Invincible Spirit mare from the family of multiple Group 1 star Refuse to Bend and 2002 Melbourne Cup (G1) winner Media Puzzle. Yet Hazy Glow is a half-sister to Rich Tapestry, the Hong Kong-based dirt specialist who captured the 2014 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) and twice placed in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on World Cup night.

Bred by Audley Farm Equine in Virginia, Mister Muldoon brought $62,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall yearling from Robertson, agent for Xtreme Racing Stables.

Trainer Carlos Martin shipped E’s Magic from Saratoga to face fellow Indiana-breds at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and she proved a gutsy first-out winner Aug. 9. The slight 17-10 favorite was literally in the middle of a three-way pace duel early in the five-furlong dash on a sloppy track. Outmoved on the turn by the other 17-10 shot, Rileys Redemption, E’s Magic had much more left down the lane. As they separated themselves from the rest of the pack, E’s Magic regained the advantage to prevail by a half-length in :59.90 (60 Speed rating). Out of the Yes It’s True mare Our Lesmis, she hails from the immediate family of Grade 3 victor Javerre.

Also entering the win column was Let Him Do, by a head in a $32,000 maiden claimer Aug. 11 at Del Mar. The Keith Desormeaux juvenile benefited from the class drop after a pair of unplaced efforts in maiden special weights. Haltered by John Sadler out of that score, Let Him Do has raced once for his new connections, closing for third in an Aug. 26 starter/optional claimer where he was not risked for a tag.

Knocking on the door

Several of Good Magic’s progeny have been beaten in salty maidens at Saratoga and Del Mar. That makes them worth watching as likely winners in waiting.

Mixto is one for the notebook after his eye-catching debut fourth (85 Speed rating) at Del Mar on Pacific Classic Day. Trained by O’Neill, the Calumet Farm runner was going nowhere in last early, spun extremely wide on the turn, and took off to finish just 3 3/4 lengths behind National Treasure.

Eastbound went from last to third (80 Speed rating) to the well-regarded pair of Classical Cat and Hejazi at Del Mar on Aug. 20. As a John Shirreffs pupil, he stands to take a substantial step forward for that educational run.

Perform was second to next-out Sapling S. conqueror Lost Ark in their mutual debut at Belmont Park. The Shug McGaughey trainee subsequently tired to a distant fourth behind Disarm at Saratoga Aug. 6.

Moonflyer debuted on the Spa’s inner turf Aug. 6, and despite hitting the gate, got up for a solid third to Battle of Normandy and Alexis Zorba. Battle of Normandy has since just missed in the With Anticipation (G3), while Alexis Zorba previously placed to Aidan O’Brien juvenile stars Little Big Bear and Blackbeard.

Faithful and True and Bat Flip were fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Blazing Sevens maiden. While Faithful and True was next seen working at WinStar Farm’s training center, Bat Flip went on to finish a remote fourth to Echo Again at Saratoga Aug. 20.

Dubyuhnell (pictured below) chased a fast pace in his Sept. 3 unveiling at the Spa and wound up fourth behind Instant Coffee.