Good Magic, most recently ninth in the Travers, will not race again this year
17 September 2018,ELMONT, New York, USA ~ While Triple Crown winner Justify transitions into his life of retirement, the three horses who finished immediately behind him in the Kentucky Derby 4 1/2 months ago are making news.
Good Magic, the Derby runner-up and 2-year-old champion of 2017, will get the remainder of the year off, trainer Chad Brown confirmed on Monday. Good Magic, who finished ninth as the favorite in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga, is getting a break at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky. Barbara Banke, the head of Stonestreet, owns Good Magic in partnership Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing.
Shortly after the Travers, Good Magic’s connections announced that he would get checked out at a veterinary clinic and then get some time on the farm.
A decision on when or if he returns to racing will be made at a later time, Brown said.
“He needs some time,” Brown said Monday in his office at Belmont Park. “A decision on his future will be made in the coming weeks, but he’s done for the season. No major problems, just a couple of little things where he could use a break.”
Good Magic, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as a maiden, won the Grade 2 Blue Grass before running second to Justify in the Kentucky Derby. He dueled with Justify in the Preakness, ultimately giving way to finish fourth. After skipping the Belmont, Good Magic won the Grade 1 Haskell before failing to fire in the Travers.
Meanwhile, Audible, the Grade 1 Florida Derby winner and third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, breezed three furlongs in 38.34 seconds Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s main track. It was his first work since the Derby.
“Looks good, gained some weight, filled out nicely, been moving well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We’re just off to a starting point. Take it week by week.”
Pletcher said that Audible has been at Belmont for about 2 1/2 weeks. He started back in training at WinStar Farm, where he was sent after it was determined he would not run in the Belmont Stakes in June. Audible, a New York-bred son of Into Mischief, is owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, and Starlight Racing, the same connections as Justify.
“I just didn’t feel like he recovered from the Derby in the way I had hoped,” Pletcher said. “He wasn’t doing as well as he was going into the Derby. We were hoping to make the Belmont. It didn’t happen.”
Pletcher said the Pegasus Stakes at Gulfstream Park in late January 2019 is the target for Audible, winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull by five lengths and the Florida Derby by three last year over Gulfstream’s main track. The Stronach Group has not yet determined a date for the Pegasus and has yet to release the stakes schedule for the Championship meet, which typically opens the first week of December. Gulfstream has typically run the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes in mid-December as a prep for the Pegasus.
Pletcher said that whether Audible has one race or two before the Pegasus would be determined as the colt progresses in his training.
Instilled Regard, fourth in the Kentucky Derby when trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, will make his first start for Brown in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.
Brown got the horse in early summer and Instilled Regard has worked nine times leading up to his return.
“The horse continues to improve in his works,” Brown said. “I could see him getting fitter each week. His works have been getting stronger. We’re excited to get him into a race. He came to me in fine condition.”
By Ronnie Betor