Magic Cross (Good Magic) aired by 7 1/4 lengths in a modestly graded Belmont maiden July 8 and progressed from there into the GIII Adirondack S., where she finished 10 lengths in back of Brightwork (Outwork) in fourth.
Stretching out in distance for this scheduled turf debut, the bay was quickest into stride and made the running while pressed along to her outside by Takemetothebeach (Take Charge Indy). Those two went at it headlong into the stretch, but Magic Cross did the better work in the final furlong and won by a clear margin. Heavily favored Miz Sense (Street Sense) dumped Jose Ortiz just prior to loading, was caught after running free for about a quarter mile and was ordered scratched by the stewards.
“I was playing the track a bit,” said Junior Alvarado, who earlier in the day was named the recipient of the Mike Venezia Award. “The track has been carrying speed today, so I was breaking [out of post one] and I knew she had speed and she's been on the muscle lately. I just broke out of there well and hustled her out of there. After that, I just tried to get her to relax so she can finish and she really showed up today.”
Winning trainer Bill Mott said he would look to run Magic Cross back in the GII Miss Grillo S. at Aqueduct Oct. 1, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Magic Cross is the first stakes winner from the second crop of her successful young stallion and his 12th overall. The winner was produced by a half-sister to the stakes-winning turf horse Mohs (Hard Spun) and MSP Grandaria (Curlin). Her third dam Baghdaria was a three-time winner at Grade III level and is herself a half-sister to Classic winner Shackleford, GISW Lady Joanne, MGSW Afleeting Lady (Afleet Alex) and SW/MGSP Stephanoatsee.
Be Jeweled is also the dam of a yearling City of Light filly, a weanling colt by Yaupon and was covered by Cyberknife this season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
P. G. JOHNSON S., $139,500, Saratoga, 8-30, 2yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:40.15, ft.
1–MAGIC CROSS, 120, f, 2, by Good Magic
1st Dam: Be Jeweled, by Tiznow
2nd Dam: Bagh of Jewelz, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Baghdaria, by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($112,500 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-James S Karp; B-Phil & Christine Hatfield (KY); T-William I Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $144,000.
2–Takemetothebeach, 120, f, 2, Take Charge Indy–Street Doll, by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. ($18,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT). O-S Matthew Kintz & James Fisher; B-Stillmeadow Farm LLC (KY); T-S Matthew Kintz. $30,000.
3–Dancing Spirit, 122, f, 2, Social Inclusion–Dancing Sparks, by Jump Start. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O/T-Adam Rice; B-Glenn E Brok LLC (PA). $18,000.
Margins: 4HF, 4 3/4, 44. Odds: 0.65, 5.20, 1.65.
Also Ran: Villi Olento. Scratched: Brocknardini, Cynane, Gala Brand, Hard to Justify, Madame Mischief, Miz Sense, She Feels Pretty.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
