First-crop sires: Good Magic's Breeders' Cup Juvenile duo in KDFW Pool 2

Although his three Breeders’ Cup runners didn’t crack the trifecta on Future Stars Friday, Good Magic’s terrific start to his stallion career has warranted a stud fee hike.

Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms announced that the champion, who stood for $30,000 in 2021-22, will now command $50,000 during the 2023 breeding season.

Since that tweet, Bolt d’Oro and Justify have overtaken Good Magic on the freshman sires’ list, relegating him to third place in progeny earnings. But they have yet to sire a Grade 1 winner.

Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager/KDFW Pool 2

Good Magic has two individual interests in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), Blazing Sevens and Curly Jack, who were fourth and fifth, respectively in the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Both were also individual propositions in Pool 1 of the KDFW over Nov. 1-3.

Champagne (G1) star Blazing Sevens, who closed at 20-1 in Pool 1, is listed at 30-1 on the morning line in Pool 2. Iroquois (G3) winner Curly Jack, a 41-1 chance in Pool 1, will open Pool 2 at 80-1.

Good Magic is himself among the named betting propositions, as a 60-1 shot, in the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager that runs concurrently over Thanksgiving weekend.

Another of his progeny expected to test the Kentucky Derby trail is Dubyuhnell, an Aqueduct maiden winner reportedly aiming for the Dec. 3 Remsen (G2). How Did He Do That, sixth in the Clever Trevor S. at Remington, tries again in Tuesday’s Zia Park Juvenile; if he shows more for Steve Asmussen, he could be in line for the preps on that circuit. The maiden Mixto took another swing at graded company in Sunday’s Bob Hope (G3), winding up a modest fourth of five, and needs to lower his sights.

Good Magic’s top filly, Vegas Magic, was never a factor in 10th of 13 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She had some trouble, but her 54-1 odds told the tale. Considering that her stakes wins came going shorter in the Sorrento (G2) and Everett Nevin S. (versus males), perhaps trainer Doug O’Neill might go back to the drawing board for a sprint.

New winners at Aqueduct

Bat Flip graduated Oct. 23 on the Aqueduct turf, his fourth overall try but first time routing. The Todd Pletcher colt had been seen in a couple of high-profile maidens on the Saratoga main track, finishing fifth behind Blazing Sevens and fourth to Echo Again. Bat Flip showed much more on the switch to turf Sept. 24 at the Big A. Runner-up in that six-furlong maiden, he succumbed only to Nagirroc, the next-out Futurity (G3) winner who would go on to place third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

The 1.95-1 favorite when stretching out to 1 1/16 grassy miles, Bat Flip had to speed an opening quarter in :22.61 to secure the lead. Jockey Jose Ortiz then gave him a breather through the middle stages in :47.90 and 1:13.70. Bat Flip accelerated on cue to kick away again and held sway by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:42.68.

The $350,000 Saratoga yearling was scouted out by retired trainer-turned-advisor Frankie Brothers, on behalf of Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing. Bat Flip is a “nephew” of a high-profile sophomore of 2014 for Starlight, Intense Holiday, the Risen Star (G2) winner and Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up who was 12th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock in Kentucky, Bat Flip has surface versatility in his pedigree. His dam, Krazy Kathy, is a full sister to Intense Holiday, but she scored her lone win over a mile on turf. The Harlan’s Holiday mare is also a half-sister to multiple Grade 2-winning turf millionaire Money Multiplier. This is the further family of hard-knocking multiple Grade 3 victor Crafty Shaw, who cobbled together just over $1 million from 44 starts.

Also at Aqueduct, Magic Miss broke her maiden Oct. 16 when dropping in for a $40,000 tag. Trailing in seventh in her maiden special weight debut (won by next-out Tempted S. winner Good Sam), the Jim Ryerson trainee prompted the pace in this six-furlong affair, took over, and lasted by a neck in 1:15.03.

International round-up

Good Magic’s budding star in Russia, River Magic, extended her record to 3-for-3 with another thrashing of her opponents in the Oct. 1 Grand Prix at Pavlovskiy Hippodrome. Stepping up to a metric mile versus males, she drew off to finish more than a full second ahead of her nearest pursuer (1:37.40 compared to 1:38.80). The Grand Prix is labeled a “Group 1” by Russia, but it does not qualify for black-type status by international standards. In any event, River Magic is clearly a class apart on that scene, and she’d be intriguing if venturing abroad, e.g., Dubai.

In Saudi Arabia, Shawash broke through in his fourth attempt with a rousing six-length win Nov. 5. He had placed in all three prior starts, the first two sprinting and the latest a traffic-marred second over a metric mile. With a clearer passage this time back at the same distance, Shawash chased the pace, swept to the front turning into the stretch, opened up, and eased down late to finish in 1:41.

Out of a half-sister to champion Accelerate, Shawash is bred along similar lines to that 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) hero. Accelerate is by the Smart Strike stallion Lookin at Lucky, and Shawash is from the same sire line, with Good Magic being by Smart Strike’s Hall of Fame son, Curlin.

Florida-bred Shawash was purchased by trainer Badan Alsubaie for $50,000 as a two-year-old in training at OBS April. That was quite a steep discount from his $200,000 price as a Keeneland September yearling. His dam, the Sky Mesa mare Darlin’issues, is also a half to Grade 1-placed stakes scorer Daddy D T, third in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, from the further family of 1998 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Wagon Limit.

As the domestic season in the United Arab Emirates opened Oct. 29, we’ll keep an eye out for a couple of Good Magic juveniles who could develop into Dubai Carnival types. Magic Petition, based with Ahmad bin Harmash, could run as soon as Friday as he factors among those possible for an about seven-furlong maiden at Meydan. Thawban, a $400,000 Keeneland September buy, is with Australian expat Michael Costa, now training for Sheikh Ahmed.

Knocking on the door

Index Fund almost added to the win column in Saturday’s fifth race at Aqueduct, where he was part of the 3-4 favored entry for Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown. The half-brother to multiple Grade 3 victor Last Judgment endured a taxing trip, especially for a first-timer. After dueling a 40-1 longshot into submission, and repelling a better challenger, he finally yielded to a garden-trip Litigate.

Reincarnate continued his seconditis when runner-up at Santa Anita Nov. 4 to odds-on stablemate Fort Bragg. Going turf-to-dirt that day for Bob Baffert, Reincarnate is entered back on dirt in Friday’s eighth race at Del Mar, where he’ll meet another Good Magic youngster in Eastbound. Trained by John Shirreffs, the CRK Stable runner was a promising third to Classical Cat and Hejazi in his sprint debut on dirt at Del Mar. Eastbound was most recently second in a one-mile turf maiden Oct. 29 at Santa Anita and employs the turf-to-dirt angle Friday.

Work of Fiction was best of the rest, at 46-1, behind the well-named debutante Dazzling Blue Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs. The Rusty Arnold pupil is worth watching next time.

Blocks of Magic was dismissed at 55-1 in her unveiling Oct. 14 at Hawthorne, but closed furiously from far back to miss by a half-length in second.