Runner-up in his first two starts, Good Magic finally broke his maiden in the Nov. 4 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and with that victory, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Stonestreet Stables' colt earned an Eclipse Award for 2017 champion juvenile male.
The son of Curlin —Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun , who is trained by Chad Brown, is the seventh Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner in the past 10 years to earn year-end divisional honors.
Before he set foot on a racetrack, Good Magic made waves as a yearling. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, agent Mike Ryan and e Five's Bob Edwards went to $1 million for the colt at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment. And with his on-track efforts since then, he's bankrolled $1,216,600 in three starts.
The chestnut colt debuted with a second-place finish in a 61⁄2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga Race Course in August. Off as the favorite, Good Magic was unable to catch the front-running Hazit by a length.
From there he jumped straight into top-level company, taking on 11 rivals in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in October. He raced mid-pack in the one-turn mile before launching a wide bid in the stretch. Even with his effort he was narrowly overcome by a fast-closing and slightly more experienced Firenze Fire. Good Magic again finished second, but only by a half-length.
Going into the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, Good Magic wasn't as highly regarded as some of his more accomplished rivals who already had graded stakes wins on their résumés. Although those competitors included two-time grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro (a fellow Eclipse finalist), Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner Free Drop Billy, Champagne victor Firenze Fire, and European multiple group 1 winner U S Navy Flag, Good Magic managed to hold his own and then some. Under Jose Ortiz, he raced just off the pace in the 1 1/16-mile race before bravely splitting horses and drawing away in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths.
With the victory, he closed out 2017 as the leading money earner in his division and remains in the top spot on the 2018 Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Good Magic is out of a stakes-winning grade 2-placed daughter of Hard Spun who was also bred and campaigned by Stonestreet. Glinda the Good is a half sister to five stakes winners, including grade 3 scorer Take the Ribbon. He hails from the extended family of grade 1 winners Magical Maiden and Miss Houdini.
