Gold Magic Sparkles In Debut; Ontario Bred Starts Plate Buzz

It was worth the wait for Al and Bill Ulwelling and trainer Kevin Attard. The Sovereign Award finalists for Outstanding Owner and Trainer in Canada for 2022 respectively had endured a slow start to the winter campaign in Florida with their horses but on February 11, a big win by a first-time starter made it worthwhile.

GOLD MAGIC, a three-year-old colt by Good Magic – Golden Amber by Gemologist, won a six furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park under Woodbine rider Emma-Jayne Wilson in impressive fashion, speeding 6 furlongs in 1:10.35 for a hefty 87 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form. The colt broke well and stalked a pace duel before advancing three wide late on the turn for home on his way to a 2 3/4 length victory.

Attard said Monday morning that the colt came out of his race well: “He’s great.”

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Bred in Ontario by Jay and Christine Hayden’s Saintsbury Farm in Lucan, Gold Magic was purchased by the Ulwellings for $170,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Summer Yearling sale through agent Cara Bloodstock. The colt began working last March (2022) at Woodbine and was prepping in early June before he was put away until November.

The Haydens had purchased Gold Magic’s dam, Golden Amber, for the same $170,000 price, in foal to Good Magic, at the 2019 Keeneland November sale. Golden Amber was a 5 1/2 furlong turf specialist with two wins in 13 races and her stakes-winning half-sister Exaggerated, by Blame, was a stakes winner sprinting on turf.

Second dam Miz United States was a stakes winner in Florida of the My Dear Girl Stakes.

Gold Magic is Golden Amber’s first foal to race and she has a Maclean’s Music yearling colt.

Nominations for the King’s Plate (August 20) and Canadian Triple Crown, do not have to be made until early April.

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SOUPER DORMY (Into Mischief) won a very tough allowance race on the grass at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 10 for owner Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Martin Drexler. Claimed from his last race of 2022 for $50,000, a Tapeta sprint race that he won, Souper Dormy was switching to grass for his Gulfstream outing and stretching out to one mile and he charged to a half-length win in 1:34.71, defeating good runners such as Gray’s Fable and Creed. He earned a lifetime best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

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It was a good weekend for Emma-Jayne Wilson, who rode another horse bred by the Haydens’ Saintsbury Farm to victory. TIZ BIZNESS (Fed Biz – Sonic Cyster by Tiznow) won her maiden on Feb. 12 for $20,000 claiming, posting a career-best 69 Beyer Speed Figure. The bay four-year-old is owned and trained by Bill Tharrenos, who was winning his 4th race of the current Gulfstream Champions meeting.

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Trainer Josie Carroll sent out LNJ Foxwoods’ homebred five-year-old horse STRIKER for a big win on the grass at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12. Adding blinkers and trying turf for the first time, the son of War Front led all the way through one mile and won by 1 3/4 lengths under Antonio Gallardo. Striker ran the distance in 1:34.51 for a 95 Beyer Figure.

Striker won the first two races of his career in the fall of 2021 and was fourth in the Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) last May at Woodbine. He did not see action again until November when seventh in the Grade 3 Kennedy Road Stakes.