By Patrycja Szpyra
There are no bigger stages and brighter lights than Saratoga in the summer, and Blazing Sevens (Good Magic–Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward) showcased his razzle-dazzle with aplomb, blitzing a field of well-regarded debuters to loudly proclaim himself worthy of 'TDN Rising Star'-dom.
Beating out two others in the race by his freshman sire to become a fifth winner, and the first to get the TDN's stamp of approval, for Good Magic, Blazing Sevens added another layer of sheen to breeder Tracy Farmer's banner last Sunday. In addition to being represented by the talented juvenile, Farmer was also the owner and owner/breeder of the runner-up and third-place finishers in Woodbine's GIII Hendrie S.–Amalfi Coast (Tapizar) and La Libertee (Consitution), respectively–as well as the owner of GII Dance Smartly runner-up Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}).
Farmer purchased Blazing Sevens's dam Trophy Girl for $62,000 as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton November in 2013. The bay took a bit of time to get to the races, not debuting until Sept. 30 of her 3-year-old year, but managing to win twice in the opening months at four over Turfway's old synthetic track. She wouldn't hit the board again, and eventually retired due to injury after her final start in July of that year. Sporting a pedigree he really liked, Farmer retired Trophy Girl to his broodmare band, and she's fit into the operation like a well-tailored glove.
“He breeds, sells, races homebreds and buys yearlings, so when we do matings for him, we ultimately concentrate on planning matings that will work for his racing program if he decides to keep the resulting foals,” said TDN columnist and advisor to Farmer, Sid Fernando. “…In the case of Blazing Sevens, we recommended several proven stallions and only one unproven horse–Good Magic–for his dam. Tracy made the decision to use [the stallion].”
With only four on the ground so far, and two of racing age, the sampling is still small, but Team Farmer is happy with what they're seeing from Trophy Girl. The mare's first, an unnamed 3-year-old colt by Distorted Humor, did not reach his reserve at Keeneland September in 2020, so consigner Denali Stud took a different approach to Blazing Sevens, convincing Farmer to sell him in Keeneland's January sale last year. To their credit, the result was successful this go-around, with the colt bringing $140,000 from Chestnut Valley Farm. He would later sell again for $225,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to Rodeo Creek Racing.
#8 Blazing Sevens dominates the Saratoga opener with @jockeyfranco up for @TheRealChadCBr1 to pay $11.20.
The #TwinSpiresReplay ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4Czazk6lj3
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 24, 2022
“He was a gorgeous yearling when we saw him at the sale,” said bloodstock agent Pete Bradley, who helped put together the Rodeo Creek Racing partnership on the colt. “We had a set price range and he fortunately fell into it. I wanted to buy him as a weanling but lacked the funds at the time.”
Blazing Sevens's score was well-timed as the focus now shifts to the yearling sales season, and this year's renewal of the Saratoga sale coming up shortly (Good Magic has two in the open sale and four more in the subsequent New York-bred auction). Breeding farms with young stallions will be eager to showcase early success, such as a 2-year-old winning at Saratoga and becoming a 'Rising Star' in the process. Good Magic also already has a stakes winner to his name in Vegas Magic, a filly who beat the boys in Pleasanton's Everett Nevin S. July 9.
As for their colt, Bradley says that if the horse is ready to go, and Chad Brown likes what he sees, the GI Hopeful S. at the end of the Saratoga meeting isn't out of the question, but he hesitates to make plans too far in advance. Whether or not it happens is a decision based on conditioner and charge, alone.
“The original plan was always to have him go longer. He's such a chill horse and he didn't look like he turned a hair after that debut,” he reported. “He's taken everything in stride.”
Tracy Farmer shares in the excitement, and is eager to see his stock continue to rise to the head of their class. He's even willing to put what he called 'a little peer pressure' into the universe.
“I hated to see [Blazing Sevens] go, but everything has worked out for the best,” admits Farmer. “And I would love to see him in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.” And there is perhaps no greater honor, and no more sought-after pressure, than a Derby dream fueled by early promise.
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