Scotland (Good Magic) came into the Curlin S. a head shy of perfection but with less than a neck for his combined win margins, and put on a show to secure his career-first black-type in the race named for his paternal grandsire.
A head winner on unveiling Mar. 4 at Hallandale, and a nose second to SP Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance) in a Apr. 23 Keeneland allowance two back, he was a gusty head winner last out June 3 beneath the Twin Spires over Cagliostro (Upstart).
Moving to secure his spot on the rail after the jump, Scotland loped along from the inside on the first turn and was challenged by Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) briefly on the far turn before opening up when asked outside the quarter pole. Shaking clear and kept to his task by the furlong marker, he was put into a hand-ride in the final sixteenth and was 3 1/4 lengths much the best as his long-time shadow held on to second. Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), the 3-5 favorite on this return post-game second in the GI Preakness S., fought on for third while no menace to the top two.
“Maybe this [two turns] is what he wanted all along. We got a good foundation in him. We sprinted him a few times–he got the job done a couple times. [This is Scotland's] first time in a stakes and here we are,” said Bill Mott from the winner's enclosure. When asked if Scotland was a possibility for the GI Travers Aug. 26, he left the topic open.
“He is for me [laughs],” he said. “This was a test today to see if he could get the two turns, get the nine furlongs and get him a race over the Saratoga racetrack. He answered both questions today. Obviously, the Travers is a different race and different competition. I'm sure we'll have that debate with the racing managers and the owners, but I'm sure the Travers would be up on the list.”
A half to a multiple stakes-placed runner turned broodmare in Tapped (Tapit), who had back-to-back McKinzie foals after her 2-year-old Good Magic filly Top Magic–now in Kazakhstan, Scotland is the most recent black-type earner for his dam. Gemswick Park, an accomplished runner in her rights, produced her own McKinzie colt in 2022 and has a 2023 Audible colt. The female line gets very busy under the third dam as Gold Tiara (Seeking the Gold) makes an appearance, best known in Japan as the granddam of MGISP Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact). This is also the family of G1SW Poet's Voice (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and G1SW & MG1SP-Jpn Mozu Katchan (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
It's all relative in the Curlin Stakes!
SCOTLAND, by Good Magic standing in @hillndalefarm and son of Curlin, wins impressively with Junior Alvarado up for Bill Mott! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/dewDnrhjU5
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) July 21, 2023
CURLIN S., $130,950, Saratoga, 7-21, (C), 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.12, ft.
1–SCOTLAND, 120, g, 3, by Good Magic
1st Dam: Gemswick Park (GSW & GISP, $238,032), by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Queen's Park, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: Bright Tiara, by Chief's Crown
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $74,250. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $211,210. *1/2 to Tapped (Tapit), MSP, $175,696.
2–Il Miracolo, 120, c, 3, Gun Runner–Tapit's World, by Tapit. ($75,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $190,000 RNA Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $70,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Eduardo Soto; B-Willow Oaks Stable LLC (KY); T-Antonio Sano. $27,000.
3–Blazing Sevens, 122, c, 3, Good Magic–Trophy Girl, by Warrior's Reward. ($140,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $225,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Rodeo Creek Racing, LLC; B-Tracy Farmer (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $16,200.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3, 4HF. Odds: 2.45, 15.50, 0.70.
Also Ran: Lost Ark, Perform.
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