La Madrina Follows in Her Brother’s Footsteps

New Rising Star
3rd-GPX, $49,000, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22 4/5, ft. 
+LA MADRINA, f, 3, by Tapit 
     1st Dam: Enchanted Rock, by Giant’s Causeway 
     2nd Dam: Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector 
     3rd Dam: Too Chic, by Blushing Groom (Fr) 
La Madrina followed in big brother Verrazano (More Than Ready)’s footsteps with an ultra-impressive “TDN Rising Star” -garnering debut graduation. Displaying a very speedy worktab at Payson Park and with leading rider Javier Castellano at the controls, the well-built gray was sent off at 9-2 in this fully loaded affair. Running several paths off the rail, she was a dozen lengths behind the leaders, who zipped along through an opening quarter in :22.10 and half in :44.29. Quickly closing the gap on the backstretch, La Madrina came charging up the outside to swiftly pick off rivals and surge clear. She crossed the wire 6 1/4 lengths ahead of Jenny’s Rocket (Mr. Greeley) and fellow firster Tis Duet (Tiznow) rounded out the trifecta. Heavy favorite Thirteen Arrows (Indian Charlie), a half to Cross Traffic (Unbridled’s Song) who was second here Mar. 2, settled for fourth after pressing the pace. Make It Snappy (Medaglia d’Oro), a daughter of MGISW Flashing (A.P. Indy) making her first start for Darley and Kiaran McLaughlin, was eighth. 
    Winning owner/breeder Emory Hamilton has established a very productive broodmare band throughout the past three decades. She purchased third dam Too Chic (Blushing Groom {Fr}) for $100,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale in 1980. She produced Queena (Mr. Prospector) who, for trainer Shug McGaughey and in the Hamilton silks, went on to take three Grade Is during a five-race winning streak and be named champion older mare in 1991. Second dam Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector) captured the GI Ashland S. and also went on to a productive breeding career. Her offspring include GSW Tara Roma (Lyphard), who produced GI Go For Wand S. winner Serra Lake (Seattle Slew) and MGSW Cappuchino (Capote); the unraced Chic Corine (Nureyev), who produced MGSW & GISP Somali Lemonade (Lemon Drop Kid); and Flying Passage (A.P. Indy), who produced MGSW Hungry Island (More Than Ready), GSW Soaring Empire (Empire Maker) and “TDN Rising Star” and GSP Tokyo Time (Medaglia d’Oro). Flying Passage’s 2-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly sold to Flaxman Stables Ireland for $1.5 million at the Keeneland September sale. 
    La Madrina’s dam Enchanted Rock (Giant’s Causeway) was victorious in her only start. Her first foal El Padrino (Pulpit) won the GII Risen Star S. and banked $326,770 for Let’s Go Stable and her second foal, Verrazano, who won the GI Wood Memorial S. and GI Haskell Invitational last year, banked $1,691,300 before joining the Coolmore contingent in Ireland this season. La Madrina has 2-year-old and yearling three-quarter siblings by Pulpit. Click here to view a feature on breeder Emory Hamilton from last August, which alludes to her high hopes for the then-2-year-old La Madrina. Click here for coverage of last year’s Keeneland September sale, where Hamilton sold several horses from the same family as La Madrina for big money. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $29,400. Click for the brisnet.com chart or VIDEO. Click for brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. 
O/B-Emory Hamilton. T-Shug McGaughey.