Scat Daddy Filly Makes the Grade at Gulfstream

Even by the very lofty standards of trainer Chad Brown, the placement of Magic Star (Scat Daddy) in Saturday's GIII Marshua's River S. was ambitious. But the 'TDN Rising Star', a $500,000 Keeneland September graduate, proved more than equal to the task, edging away late while suggesting there could be bigger and better to come in 2020.

The 13-5 second choice had only one beaten turning out of the stretch for the first time and was content to sit a two-path trip entering the backstretch as 19-1 Piece By Piece (Declaration of War) took them along through even splits. Quietly ridden along to the inside of fellow Don Alberto colorbearer Andina del Sur (Giant's Causeway) entering the final three-eighths of a mile, Magic Star allowed that rival first run while four wide approaching the top of the straight. Kept on that one's back for as long as possible, she was switched off heels and into the clear with about a furlong and a half to travel, switched off leads when being shown the whip and taking a look at the stands at the eighth pole and edged clear to the victory. Former Brown trainer Munchkin Money (Freud) rallied late for second, relegating Andina del Sur to third.

“She was right there for me the whole way,” said winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Turning for home I had two horses in front of me so I just had to kind of wait a few jumps to tip her out, and as soon as I tipped her out she just kicked on. She doesn't have too much speed, so the plan was to let her be where she's comfortable and then go from there. She was ready today. She's a nice filly, and she's still learning.”

Accorded 'Rising Star' status when closing like a freight train-while also flopping back and forth on her leads-on Saratoga debut in the final race on GI Runhappy Travers S. day Aug. 24, she caught a paceless group when trying winners for the first time at Belmont Oct. 26 and made up some ground late to finish third.

Pedigree Notes:

The 127th stakes winner and 76th graded/group winner for the sadly departed Scat Daddy, Magic Star is one of five winners from six to race from his dam, the 2006 GI Matron S. heroine, whose ron Royal Copy (Bodemeister) was runner-up in the 2016 GI Hopeful S. Meadow Breeze is a half-sister to Overanalyze (Dixie Union), victorious in the 2013 GI Arkansas Derby, GISP Majesto (Tiznow), GSP Mighty Monsoon (Forestry) and Botswana Taps (Distorted Humor), a two-length winner on his belated career debut at the Fair Grounds Jan. 9. Meadow Breeze is the dam of 3-year-old filly Provocation (Into Mischief), a $160,000 KEESEP yearling turned $350,000 OBS April breezer; and a 2-year-old filly by Runhappy that fetched $475,000 at KEESEP last fall. She was most recently bred to Uncle Mo.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
MARSHUA'S RIVER S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 1-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.67, fm.
1–MAGIC STAR, 118, f, 4, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Meadow Breeze (GISW, $301,301), by Meadowlake
2nd Dam: Unacloud, by Unaccounted For
3rd Dam: Cloud's Ambre, by Two Punch
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($500,000
Ylg '17 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Don Alberto Stable;
B-Betz/D.J. Stables/CoCo/Burns/Magers (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $91,140. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0,
$140,970. *1/2 to Royal Copy (Bodemeister), GISP, $138,725.
Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Munchkin Money, 120, m, 7, Freud–Sweet Rita, by Rubiano.
($6,000 Ylg '14 EASDEC; $25,000 2yo '15 OBSOPN). O-Sweet
Home Stables, Mark Parkinson, Brian F. Martin, Steven
Bouchey & Tony Weintraub; B-Thomas M. Murray (NY);
T-Christophe Clement. $29,400.
3–Andina Del Sur, 122, m, 5, Giant's Causeway–Andina (Ire), by
Singspiel (Ire). O-Don Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto
Corporation (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani. $14,700.
Margins: HF, HF, 2. Odds: 2.60, 4.30, 2.30.
Also Ran: Sweet Bye and Bye, Maroubra (Fr), Piece by Peace, Malkia. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.