Edited Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. press release
Jim and Treasa Donnan and Terry Bailey’s unbeaten Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. (OBS) auction graduate Trinity Magic has been a blessing for Blessed Trinity Catholic Church in Ocala, Fla., since the 2-year-old colt was pinhooked out of a yearling sale in 2007, and the stakes are going up if he gets to the starting gate in the $1-million Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) Dec.7.
Trinity Magic was purchased for $5,700 at the 1007 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale by a group of Ocala horsemen under the name of B.T. All of the group’s members are longtime OBS consignors and all have ties to Blessed Trinity. They are Ciaran and Amy Dunne of Wavertree Stables, Eddie Woods, Angela Mellerick, Niall and Stephanie Brennan, Connie Scanlon, and Mike and Britt Mulligan of Leprechaun Racing. Trinity Magic was B.T.’s fourth annual purchase, pinhooked with the intention that the proceeds from his sale as a 2-year-old be donated to Blessed Trinity.
Broken and trained by the Mulligans and consigned by Leprechaun on behalf of B.T. to the 2008 OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, the son of Performing Magicwas selected by trainer Steve Asmussen and purchased by the Donnans for $50,000.
After breaking his maiden at first asking in August at Saratoga, Trinity Magic won the $107,400 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park in September and then waltzed to a seven-length score Belmont’s $100,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes Oct. 18. Since that race, the Donnans have sold a third of the horse to Treasa’s brother Terry Bailey, and Bailey came up with an idea.
After being told of the horse’s earlier contribution to Blessed Trinity, Bailey suggested that should the horse win the Delta Jackpot, they should donate $25,000 of the purse to the church. The Donnans agreed, and pledged that should the horse continue to improve and run in prep races for the 2009 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), they would donate an additional $25,000 each time he wins.
If successful, Trinity Magic would be the second OBS graduate to win the Delta Jackpot. In 2006, Raymond H. Cottrell’s Birdbirdistheword swept to the lead around the far turn then held on for a three-quarter length victory and his first graded stakes win. The Florida-bred son of Pure Prize went through the sale ring at the 2005 OBS winter mixed auction and was bought back for $26,000 before bringing $32,000 when sold by Sharon Biamonte, agent, at the 2005 August yearling sale.