Magician (IRE)
April 24, 2010 – Living
Galileo (IRE) x Absolutelyfabulous (IRE), by Mozart (IRE)
Family 9-b
April 24, 2010 – Living
Galileo (IRE) x Absolutelyfabulous (IRE), by Mozart (IRE)
Family 9-b
Magician showed very little as a juvenile, but in a 2013 campaign interrupted by a layoff of over four months, he displayed vast improvement and was both a Classic winner in Ireland and a Breeders’ Cup winner in the United States. He continued to race well at 4 in both Europe and the United States but not at championship level. He has been a disappointing stallion in a career probably not helped by multiple changes of location.
Race record
14 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,584,157 (including converted earnings from England and Ireland)
2013:
2014:
Honors
Cartier Award, European champion 3-year-old male (2013)
Assessments
2013 Irish highweight 3-year-old male, 11-14F.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2013 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders' Cup Turf, 6 pounds below co-highweights Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year) and Treve (the European Horse of the Year) and one pound below the top 3-year-olds, Olympic Glory and Toronado.
2014 Irish highweight older male, 9.5-11F.
Rated at 123 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2014 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, 7 pounds below overall highweight Just a Way (the champion older male in Japan) and 4 pounds below Derby Stakes and Irish Derby winner Australia, the highweight in the Intermediate category.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced bay horse with a strong resemblance to his sire, Magician had a strong closing run and was at his best on firm going. He was retired after developing lameness in his right foreleg while in training for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
As a stallion
Magician entered stud in 2015 at Ashford Stud, Kentucky. To date, he has sired nothing remotely approaching his own talent.
Connections
Bred by the Absolutelyfabulous Syndicate, Magician was owned by Coolmore associates Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. He was trained by Aidan O'Brien and was regularly ridden by Joseph O’Brien, but was ridden to his win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf by Ryan Moore. He entered stud in 2015 at Coolmore’s Kentucky facility, Ashford Stud. Prior to the conclusion of the 2018 Northern Hemisphere breeding season, Magician was sent to Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud in Ireland. His next stop was Haras de Corlay, France, where he stood in 2019 and 2020. He stood at Allevamenti della Berardenga in Italy in 2021 before moving yet again, this time to Meelin Stud in Ireland.
Pedigree notes
Magician is inbred 3x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer and 5x5 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. He is a full brother to Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (USA-G3) winner Apple Betty and to Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Outstanding. The last-named mare is the dam of 2021 San Marcos Stakes (USA-G2) winner Masteroffoxhounds (by War Front).
Magician is out of Group 3-placed Irish listed stakes winner Absolutelyfabulous (by 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart, by Danehill). Absolutelyfabulous, in turn, is out of Lady Windermere (by 1995 July Cup, ENG-G1, winner Lake Coniston, by Bluebird), whose half sister Sequoyah (by Sadler’s Wells) won the 2000 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) and is the dam of 2008 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Henrythenavigator (by Kingmambo) and of Irish Group 3 winner Queen Cleopatra (by Kingmambo); Sequoyah is also the second dam of multiple Australian Group 3 winner Francis of Assisi and the third dam of Irish Group 2 winner Cliffs of Moher. Returning to Lady Windemere, she is also a half sister to 2007 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Listen (by Sadler’s Wells), dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Touching Speech (by Deep Impact) and Japanese Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Satono Lux (by Deep Impact), and to Grade 3-placed Irish listed stakes winner Oyster Catcher (by Bluebird). In addition, Lady Windermere is a half sister to Clara Bow (by Sadler’s Wells), second dam of French Group 3 winner Coeur de Beaute; to Liffey Dancer (by Sadler's Wells), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Treasure Trove; to Brigids Cross (by Sadler’s Wells), dam of English listed stakes winner We Are Ninety (by Thewayyouare); and to Nazym (by Galileo), dam of English Group 3 winner Nausha (by Kingman). Finally, Lady Windermere is a half sister to Height of Elegance (by Galileo), dam of Grade 3 winner Zofelle (by Zoffany) and Irish listed stakes winner Queenship (by Excelebration).
Lady Windermere and her sisters were produced from Brigid (by Irish River x Luv Luvin’, by Raise a Native), whose listed stakes-winning full sister Or Vision is the dam of 1993 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Dolphin Street (by Bluebird), 1999 E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Insight (by Sadler’s Wells), and 1999 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Saffron Walden (by Sadler’s Wells) and the second dam of multiple German Group 3 winner Matchwinner. Brigid is also a full sister to stakes-placed Litani River, dam of 2008 Concorde Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Psalm (by Sadler’s Wells) and Irish listed stakes winner Queen Titi (by Sadler’s Wells) and second dam of 2009 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Beethoven. In addition, Brigid is a half sister to listed stakes winner Nijinsky’s Lover (by Nijinsky II), dam of 1999 Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G2) winner Dance Master (by Gone West) and 1999 San Simeon Handicap (USA-G3) winner Naninja (by Alysheba), and to Braziliz (by Kingmambo), dam of 2007 Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Brazilian Bride (by Pivotal) and French listed stakes winner Rio Tigre (by Teofilo) and second dam of Hong King Group 2 winner Endowing. Finally, Brigid is a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Dixie Fine (by L’Emigrant), second dam of 2018 American champion turf male Stormy Liberal and multiple Grade 2 winner Leinster.
Books and media
Videos of Magician’s win in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be accessed on his page at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/magician-ire).
Photo credits
Top: Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Ashford Stud in 2014. Used by permission.
Bottom: Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Ashford Stud in 2017. Used by permission.
Race record
14 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 0 thirds, US$2,584,157 (including converted earnings from England and Ireland)
2013:
- Won Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-G1, 12FT, Santa Anita)
- Won Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1, 8FT, The Curragh)
- Won Dee Stakes (ENG-G3, 10.5FT, Chester)
2014:
- Won Mooresbridge Stakes (IRE-G3, 10FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 2nd Tattersalls Gold Cup Stakes (IRE-G1, 10.5FT, The Curragh)
- 2nd Prince of Wales's Stakes (ENG-G1, 10FT, Ascot)
Honors
Cartier Award, European champion 3-year-old male (2013)
Assessments
2013 Irish highweight 3-year-old male, 11-14F.
Rated at 124 pounds on the 2013 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Breeders' Cup Turf, 6 pounds below co-highweights Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year) and Treve (the European Horse of the Year) and one pound below the top 3-year-olds, Olympic Glory and Toronado.
2014 Irish highweight older male, 9.5-11F.
Rated at 123 pounds in the Intermediate category on the 2014 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings for his performance in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, 7 pounds below overall highweight Just a Way (the champion older male in Japan) and 4 pounds below Derby Stakes and Irish Derby winner Australia, the highweight in the Intermediate category.
As an individual
A handsome, well-balanced bay horse with a strong resemblance to his sire, Magician had a strong closing run and was at his best on firm going. He was retired after developing lameness in his right foreleg while in training for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
As a stallion
Magician entered stud in 2015 at Ashford Stud, Kentucky. To date, he has sired nothing remotely approaching his own talent.
Connections
Bred by the Absolutelyfabulous Syndicate, Magician was owned by Coolmore associates Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. He was trained by Aidan O'Brien and was regularly ridden by Joseph O’Brien, but was ridden to his win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf by Ryan Moore. He entered stud in 2015 at Coolmore’s Kentucky facility, Ashford Stud. Prior to the conclusion of the 2018 Northern Hemisphere breeding season, Magician was sent to Coolmore’s Castlehyde Stud in Ireland. His next stop was Haras de Corlay, France, where he stood in 2019 and 2020. He stood at Allevamenti della Berardenga in Italy in 2021 before moving yet again, this time to Meelin Stud in Ireland.
Pedigree notes
Magician is inbred 3x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer and 5x5 to 1963 American co-champion 2-year-old male Raise a Native. He is a full brother to Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes (USA-G3) winner Apple Betty and to Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Outstanding. The last-named mare is the dam of 2021 San Marcos Stakes (USA-G2) winner Masteroffoxhounds (by War Front).
Magician is out of Group 3-placed Irish listed stakes winner Absolutelyfabulous (by 2001 European champion sprinter Mozart, by Danehill). Absolutelyfabulous, in turn, is out of Lady Windermere (by 1995 July Cup, ENG-G1, winner Lake Coniston, by Bluebird), whose half sister Sequoyah (by Sadler’s Wells) won the 2000 Moyglare Stud Stakes (IRE-G1) and is the dam of 2008 Two Thousand Guineas (ENG-G1) and Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Henrythenavigator (by Kingmambo) and of Irish Group 3 winner Queen Cleopatra (by Kingmambo); Sequoyah is also the second dam of multiple Australian Group 3 winner Francis of Assisi and the third dam of Irish Group 2 winner Cliffs of Moher. Returning to Lady Windemere, she is also a half sister to 2007 Fillies’ Mile Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Listen (by Sadler’s Wells), dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Touching Speech (by Deep Impact) and Japanese Group 1-placed listed stakes winner Satono Lux (by Deep Impact), and to Grade 3-placed Irish listed stakes winner Oyster Catcher (by Bluebird). In addition, Lady Windermere is a half sister to Clara Bow (by Sadler’s Wells), second dam of French Group 3 winner Coeur de Beaute; to Liffey Dancer (by Sadler's Wells), second dam of Irish Group 3 winner Treasure Trove; to Brigids Cross (by Sadler’s Wells), dam of English listed stakes winner We Are Ninety (by Thewayyouare); and to Nazym (by Galileo), dam of English Group 3 winner Nausha (by Kingman). Finally, Lady Windermere is a half sister to Height of Elegance (by Galileo), dam of Grade 3 winner Zofelle (by Zoffany) and Irish listed stakes winner Queenship (by Excelebration).
Lady Windermere and her sisters were produced from Brigid (by Irish River x Luv Luvin’, by Raise a Native), whose listed stakes-winning full sister Or Vision is the dam of 1993 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Dolphin Street (by Bluebird), 1999 E. P. Taylor Stakes (CAN-G1) winner Insight (by Sadler’s Wells), and 1999 Irish Two Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Saffron Walden (by Sadler’s Wells) and the second dam of multiple German Group 3 winner Matchwinner. Brigid is also a full sister to stakes-placed Litani River, dam of 2008 Concorde Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Psalm (by Sadler’s Wells) and Irish listed stakes winner Queen Titi (by Sadler’s Wells) and second dam of 2009 Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Beethoven. In addition, Brigid is a half sister to listed stakes winner Nijinsky’s Lover (by Nijinsky II), dam of 1999 Bashford Manor Stakes (USA-G2) winner Dance Master (by Gone West) and 1999 San Simeon Handicap (USA-G3) winner Naninja (by Alysheba), and to Braziliz (by Kingmambo), dam of 2007 Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes (IRE-G3) winner Brazilian Bride (by Pivotal) and French listed stakes winner Rio Tigre (by Teofilo) and second dam of Hong King Group 2 winner Endowing. Finally, Brigid is a half sister to multiple listed stakes winner Dixie Fine (by L’Emigrant), second dam of 2018 American champion turf male Stormy Liberal and multiple Grade 2 winner Leinster.
Books and media
Videos of Magician’s win in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Turf can be accessed on his page at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/magician-ire).
Photo credits
Top: Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Ashford Stud in 2014. Used by permission.
Bottom: Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Ashford Stud in 2017. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 13, 2023