American racegoers won't get the chance to see Europe's top race mare, Enable, in this year's Breeders' Cup, but it looks as though they will get a second look at a more than capable understudy. Magical hasn't managed to beat Enable in five tries, including last year's Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (USA-IT), but after winning the QIPCO British Champions Stakes (ENG-I) in a sterling effort, the daughter of Galileo is a probable for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (USA-IT) and a clash with reigning American champion turf female Sistercharlie.
While Magical represents the best of modern European breeding, she has American roots on both sides. Galileo's parents are Sadler's Wells, an American-bred but European-based son of Northern Dancer from a top Claiborne Farm family, and the marvelous broodmare Urban Sea, an American-bred daughter of Miswaki who triumphed in the 1993 CIGA Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. On the distaff side, Magical traces back to 1966 Kentucky Oaks winner Native Street, whose family embraces graded and Group winners around the world.
Bloodlines have been traversing the Atlantic both ways for quite some time, of course, and in back of those American bloodlines are earlier importations to the United States such as Beaver Street, Rough Shod II, Forli,and Nearctic (who was imported in utero). Thus, it should not be surprising that a look at Magical's five-generation pedigree reveals her to be quite the cosmopolitan lady, with ancestors from Argentina, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, and the United States.
Magical's tail-female line started out in England, came Stateside via Beaver Street (who produced Native Street to a cover by Native Dancer), and traveled back to the Old World via Native Street's great-granddaughter Rahaam (by 1984 Derby Stakes, ENG-I, winner Secreto, another American-bred son of Northern Dancer). While no great racer herself, she was a half sister to two stakes winners (including French Group III winner Glory Forever) and did well as a producer, producing three stakes winners.
The best of the trio, Cassandra Go (by Indian Ridge), was a classy sprinter with two Group II wins to her credit but did better still as a broodmare, producing three Group winners. Her best is three-time Group I winner Halfway to Heaven (by the fine Nureyev stallion Pivotal), whose miler speed has blended wonderfully with the stamina transmitted by Galileo in producing Magical as well as three-time Group I winner Rhododendron, a multiple divisional highweight in England and Ireland.
Magical currently has four Group I wins to her credit, and she would have three more if it weren't for Enable, who beat her into second in this year's Eclipse Stakes (ENG-I) and Yorkshire Oaks (ENG-I) in addition to the pair's one-two finish in last year's Turf. She will probably not get another chance to defeat her nemesis, given that Coolmore seldom races fillies past their 4-year-old seasons, but given her consistency, there is surely enough of the magic left in her for a memorable finish to her year and career.
While Magical represents the best of modern European breeding, she has American roots on both sides. Galileo's parents are Sadler's Wells, an American-bred but European-based son of Northern Dancer from a top Claiborne Farm family, and the marvelous broodmare Urban Sea, an American-bred daughter of Miswaki who triumphed in the 1993 CIGA Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. On the distaff side, Magical traces back to 1966 Kentucky Oaks winner Native Street, whose family embraces graded and Group winners around the world.
Bloodlines have been traversing the Atlantic both ways for quite some time, of course, and in back of those American bloodlines are earlier importations to the United States such as Beaver Street, Rough Shod II, Forli,and Nearctic (who was imported in utero). Thus, it should not be surprising that a look at Magical's five-generation pedigree reveals her to be quite the cosmopolitan lady, with ancestors from Argentina, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, and the United States.
Magical's tail-female line started out in England, came Stateside via Beaver Street (who produced Native Street to a cover by Native Dancer), and traveled back to the Old World via Native Street's great-granddaughter Rahaam (by 1984 Derby Stakes, ENG-I, winner Secreto, another American-bred son of Northern Dancer). While no great racer herself, she was a half sister to two stakes winners (including French Group III winner Glory Forever) and did well as a producer, producing three stakes winners.
The best of the trio, Cassandra Go (by Indian Ridge), was a classy sprinter with two Group II wins to her credit but did better still as a broodmare, producing three Group winners. Her best is three-time Group I winner Halfway to Heaven (by the fine Nureyev stallion Pivotal), whose miler speed has blended wonderfully with the stamina transmitted by Galileo in producing Magical as well as three-time Group I winner Rhododendron, a multiple divisional highweight in England and Ireland.
Magical currently has four Group I wins to her credit, and she would have three more if it weren't for Enable, who beat her into second in this year's Eclipse Stakes (ENG-I) and Yorkshire Oaks (ENG-I) in addition to the pair's one-two finish in last year's Turf. She will probably not get another chance to defeat her nemesis, given that Coolmore seldom races fillies past their 4-year-old seasons, but given her consistency, there is surely enough of the magic left in her for a memorable finish to her year and career.
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