Tom’s Magic Third Classic Winner of Year for Justify

It was a third classic winner of the year in a second country for Justify on Sunday when Tom’s Magic (3c Justify x Dixie Chicken, by Rahy) won the Breeders’ Stakes in Canada.

Looking for his third stakes win of the year in this 1 ½ mile turf race after finishing second in the King’s Plate, Tom’s Magic was last in the gate and the first out at the break. The Michael Stidham trainee was quickly wrangled back to race a few lengths off the leader two paths from the rail.

Jockey Rafael Manual Hernandez had to keep his mount well-restrained when the pace was slowed down during their first run down the front stretch. It didn’t take long for Tom’s Magic’s to convince him to challenge for the lead down the backstretch and the jockey let him go.

The leader stuck with him until the final furlong when another horse issued a challenge as that one dropped back. Tom’s Magic had to work hard to keep the lead, but he did just that to win by a head with the third placed runner over five lengths behind the top two.

Tom’s Magic races for CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing after being purchased by his connections for $200,000 as a yearling. He has now won four of seven starts with two other top three finishes seeing him earn stakes wins at three different tracks.

Tom’s Magic is one of three stakes winners for the stakes placed Dixie Chicken, who produced five stakes performers overall from seven runners. That group also includes multiple stakes winner Dixie Moon.

Each of Tom’s Magic’s first five dams has produced at least one stakes winners with his fourth dam the Venezuelan Horse of the Year Gelinotte.

Justify’s other classic winners came in England this year with Ruling Court winning the Group I 2000 Guineas and Scandinavia the Group I St. Leger two weeks ago.