Mage

Sponsored by Pedigrees360. Candidly, it always feels a little cheap to delve into a pedigree once its functionality is established, scrubbing away any genetic mud before triumphantly producing some hidden nugget to explain how it has all come together. "Post rationalization" of this kind is standard in articles like this, and the absolute opposite of the grueling enterprise that has worn out the soles of so many shoes over the past couple of weeks. As ever, Keeneland presented thousands of perfectly plausible pages to measure against the animals paraded before...

Puca (Big Brown), the dam of the classic winning full-brothers Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch, will be offered at Fasig-Tipton's 'Night of the Stars' Nov. 3, John Stewart told Ron Flatter on his podcast on Horse Racing Nation on Friday. Stewart, the owner of Resolute Racing, told Flatter that Puca had not gotten into foal this year. "She's 13 [and] she's empty. The broodmare of the year, we're taking her to the Night of the Stars, and we'll see what happens." Stewart said on the podcast that he expected a...

I knew it was coming, but that doesn't dull the sadness. I posted online last week that I was sad about the news D. Wayne Lukas had been put in hospice care and retired from training, but it's complicated to explain why I feel so profoundly sad about the passing of a man that I'd only spoken with a few times briefly in my life. A lot of it has to do with a connection I had with my dad that he unknowingly helped fuel many times over more than...

C R K Stable and Grandview Equine's Baeza (McKinzie) worked over Saratoga's Oklahoma track Monday morning in advance of a start in Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes. With Flavien Prat aboard, the half-brother to Classic winners Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch (Good Magic) reeled off splits of :24.89, :48.93 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.41, according to NYRA clockers. "I thought the work was very good, especially the way he moved over the racetrack," said Shirreffs Monday. "He is light on his feet. Everything he does is effortless." A winner...

The debate will continue to rage on. Should a horse run back in the GI Preakness, just two weeks after the GI Kentucky Derby, or should they skip the Preakness and wait for the GI Belmont? What's best for the horse? What's best for the sport? This year it was Sovereignty (Into Mischief). He was a comfortable 1 1/2 length winner over Journalism (Curlin) in the Derby. But instead of running back in two weeks, his connections announced that his next start will be in the June 7 Belmont. He...

Resolute Racing's John Stewart has sold 25% of the yearling full-brother to Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch, and half-brother to Saturday's Kentucky Derby starter Baeza (McKinzie) to MyRacehorse, he told the TDN Friday evening. Stewart bought the dam of all three of those colts, Puca, as a post-sale purchase at the 2023 Keeneland November sale for $2.9 million in foal with this colt. At Resolute Racing, they refer to the yearling as "Preaky," a reference to the fact that Mage won the Derby, Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes, and the...

As you review the entries for the marquee races this weekend at Churchill Downs, namely the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the GI Kentucky Derby on Saturday, you'll notice a common name listed among the connections: Brereton C. Jones. Though many outside of the Thoroughbred industry will recognize the name as that of the former governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, for those within it, it's one that evokes immense pride and gratitude for a man who was a true stalwart of the sport. Sadly, Brereton--the founder and...

Five Kentucky Derby hopefuls were on track Saturday morning during the special training period for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs, but one, GISW Tappan Street (Into Mischief), has been withdrawn from the big race with an injury. As reported early Saturday morning, the son of Into Mischief had just completed a five furlong breeze when regular rider Luis Saez felt that 'something was off' afterwards. X-rays back at the barn revealed a condylar fracture, and while trainer Brad Cox reports it is not a major injury, it will...

The connections of Baeza (McKinzie) have had a change of heart and will ship him to Churchill Downs after all. Though some believe Baeza, the runner-up in the GI Santa Anita Derby, is among the best 3-year-olds in the sport, he has only 37.5 Derby points. That puts him at 23rd on the list. Only 20 horses can start in the race. Had this been last year, Baeza would have made it in no problem. His second-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby would have earned him 50 points, which,...

John Stewart's Resolute Racing has joined Horse Country and will begin offering tours of its Midway farm starting Mar. 25.   Tours of Resolute Racing will be offered three days a week through the spring and will include everything from the foaling barn to Resolute's efforts in aftercare. Notable broodmares residing at the farm include two-time Eclipse champion Goodnight Olive; Puca, the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage and GI Belmont Stakes Dornoch; Queen Caroline, the dam of Eclipse champion Forte; and Resolute's first Grade I winner Didia (Arg). Tours...

C R K Stable and Grandview Equine's Baeza (McKinzie--Puca, by Big Brown), the 3-year-old, half-brother to Classic winners Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch (Good Magic), is joining the GI Kentucky Derby trail following an impressive maiden victory at Santa Anita Feb. 14. "We're looking forward--I would think 99%--that the (GI) Santa Anita Derby (Apr. 5) is where we belong running," C R K Stable's Lee Searing said. "Staying at home, no matter who we run against, we got a nice horse and he deserves the chance." The John Shirreffs-trained Baeza...

6th-Santa Anita, $60,500, Msw, 2-14, 3yo, 1m, 1:37.84, ft, 4 3/4 lengths. BAEZA (c, 3, McKinzie--Puca {SW & GSP, $299,406}, by Big Brown) debuted over the grass at Del Mar Dec. 1 and finished a well-beaten ninth. Switching to the main track at Santa Anita Jan. 4, the pricey Keeneland September buy was the runner-up behind 'TDN Rising Star' Rodriguez (Authentic). Backed at the windows as the 2-1 second choice here, the bay came running out of the blocks to shadow a longshot into the first turn. The 3-year-old waited...