After the Auction: Jake's Magic Hat

As an avid fan of sales with possible aspirations to become an adviser/bloodstock agent, auctions are one of my favorite topics to write about on Past the Grandstand. This is the twelfth edition in a blog series called “After the Auction” that will feature horses I selected in sales that have found success after the sale. *Note: If an “After the Auction” features a two-year-old, it will also be listed as a “Juvenile Spotlight.”

The average sale price at the 2013 OBS March Sale was $158,632. For nearly $70,000 less than that, one could have acquired Jake’s Magic Hat – a colt that, less than four months later, would earn nearly half of his purchase price in his very first start, proving to be a smart buy.

Catching my eye with a 10 3/5-second breeze in the preview show for the sale, Jake’s Magic Hat joined my auction selections due to the athleticism he displayed in that work. Just over three months later, the bay two-year-old made his debut, contending with five other juveniles in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park.

After breaking in the air and making contact with the horse to his outside, the tall bay was asked by jockey Jose Lezcano to move closer to the front. The colt responded, finding a position just behind the leaders as he tracked the pace. He and the leaders widened their lead on the others and near the end of the far turn, Lezcano guided Jake’s Magic Hat to the outside, allowing the colt to begin his rally.

As a result of running greenly, Jake’s Magic Hat required straightening by Lezcano, but the colt commenced his run nonetheless, striking to the lead in late stretch. Without much effort, the flashy, blaze-faced bay drew away from his competitors, taking the race by 2 ¼ lengths in a good final time of 57.57 seconds.

Jake’s Magic Hat is a son of the young Tiz Wonderful, whose offspring have impressed many, especially in terms of looks. Since entering stud in 2009, Tiz Wonderful has sired the likes of the graded stakes-winning My Happy Face, the group stakes-placed Tiz Tremendous, and the stakes-placed runners Scammony and Tiz Fitting. Tiz Wonderful is a son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) victor Tiznow, who has concluded three of the past five years with a top twenty ranking among the best sires in North America.

The dam of Jake’s Magic Hat, Tico Breeze, is sired by Carson City, thus providing Jake’s Magic Hat with the same broodmare sire as the grade one winners Barbaro, Havre de Grace, Lear’s Princess, and Rail Trip. The Tiznow/Carson City sire line cross on which Jake’s Magic Hat was bred has proven successful, as it is the same one that produced the grade one-winning Bullsbay, as well as the stakes-winning Lady Chace and the graded stakes-placed horses Big Tiz and Tiz to Dream.

Jake’s Magic Hat descends from a strong Maryland dam line, which includes his fifth dam, Golden Spike. A daughter of Secretariat’s half-brother, Sir Gaylord, Golden Spike is the dam of the multiple grade one-winning Track Barron. Jake’s Magic Hat’s eighth dam is La Chica, a brilliant broodmare whose progeny include the champion El Chico, who was unbeaten as a juvenile. Thus, Jake’s Magic Hat’s tail female line is the same one that produced the legendary champion Native Dancer, as the Hall of Famer and influential sire’s third dam is La Chica.

Becoming my first official selection from a 2013 two-year-old sale to garner a victory, Jake’s Magic Hat appears to have a very promising future. With a pedigree geared toward early success, bigger and better things could be waiting on the horizon for this colt.

Juvenile Spotlight: Teen Pauline

Stonestreet Stables has certainly proven itself to be a major force to be reckoned with when it comes to juvenile filly maiden special weights at the Spa. Last summer at Saratoga, a bay filly by the name of My Miss Aurelia won her debut at Saratoga to commence a campaign that witnessed her seize the Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Just days ago, another brilliant Stonestreet filly – Kauai Katie – dazzled spectators with a stunning twelve-length victory in her debut. Less than a week later, yet another Stonestreet filly greatly impressed racing fans – Teen Pauline.

In her debut on July 25, the filly did not immediately go to the lead after breaking from the gate, but loomed on the outside of Gadget Girl before sticking her head in front around the far turn. She lengthened her advantage near the end of the curve, beginning to draw away from the field under Julien Leparoux. My Happy Face attempted to chase after her, but the race clearly belonged to Teen Pauline, who effortlessly galloped towards the wire without much asking from Leparoux. In fact, Leparoux was practically a statue in the saddle as Teen Pauline flashed across the wire alone, posting a spectacular final time of 56.63 – a new track record for five furlongs. Notably, Teen Pauline completed the final furlong in 11.80 seconds despite the brisk fractions of 21.82 and 44.73, coupled with barely being urged in the final stages of the race.

Sired by Tapit, Teen Pauline shares the same sire as 2011 Champion Two-Year-Old Male Hansen, as well as 2008 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Stardom Bound. Tapit is also the sire of such grade one winners as Careless Jewel, Tapitsfly, and Zazu. Tapit is a son of Pulpit, who is also the sire of the successful stallion Sky Mesa. Pulpit is of course a son of the great A.P. Indy, the sire of twenty-six grade one winners, including Bernardini, Flashing, Mineshaft, Little Belle, Music Note, and Rags to Riches. The A.P. Indy sire line from which Teen Pauline descends has been highly successful, as A.P. Indy is also the sire of such productive studs as Bernardini, Congrats, Malibu Moon, Mineshaft, and Stephen Got Even. Interestingly, Kauai Katie is also a descendant of the A.P. Indy sire line.

Teen Pauline’s dam is Effectual, a mare who raced just three times but won two of those starts and earned $108,582. The winner of the 2005 Debutante Stakes (GIII) at five and one-half furlongs, Effectual is also the dam of No La Hace, an earner of $61,200 who won his first two starts by a combined 24 ½ lengths.

Effectual is a daughter of Carson City, giving Teen Pauline the same broodmare sire as the Kentucky Derby (GI)-winning Barbaro and 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace. Carson City is a son of the great Mr. Prospector, an incredible broodmare sire responsible for producing the dams of such champions as Lailani, Mineshaft, and War Pass.

Teen Pauline is a direct descendant of the Reine De Course mare Cherokee Rose, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks and granddam of Horse of the Year Ack Ack. Cherokee Rose herself is a daughter of Reine De Course mare The Squaw and the great Princequillo, damsire of the great spectacular Secretariat and carrier of the X-Factor, which is credited with large hearts in horses.

Teen Pauline appears to be bred more for speed than stamina, which is no surprise considering her record-breaking performance in her debut. However, with the presence of such horses as A.P. Indy, Skywalker, and Unbridled – all winners of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) – in just the first three generations of her pedigree, Teen Pauline could certainly stretch out in distance with success. Whether she pursues a career in route races or not, this is a filly with a bright future.

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