Guarana (USA)
April 29, 2016 – Living
Ghostzapper (USA) x Magical World (USA), by Distorted Humor (USA)
Family 1-g
April 29, 2016 – Living
Ghostzapper (USA) x Magical World (USA), by Distorted Humor (USA)
Family 1-g
Guarana’s racing career was regrettably short, but it was brilliant while it lasted. After breaking her maiden in the slop at Keeneland by 14¾ lengths, Guarana proved just as able on a fast surface in her second start, winning the Acorn Stakes (USA-G1) by six lengths over Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1) winner Serengeti Empress while clocking a stakes-record 1:33.58 for the mile. The filly added the Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1) in her third start but came up short in her next, the Cotillion Stakes (USA-G1). A clear second in spite of drifting in late, she may have had something bothering her as she was gone from the races for over eight months. Returning as a 4-year-old, she concluded her racing career by winning an optional claimer as a tune-up and then defeating 2019 Humana Distaff Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mia Mischief in the Madison Stakes (USA-G1). She is now a broodmare for Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm.
Race record
6 starts, 5 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,078,268
2019:
2020:
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 13 pounds below overall highweight Crystal Ocean (a multiple European highweight) and 3 pounds below the top 3-year-old filly on dirt, 2019 American champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter Covfefe.
As an individual
A strongly-made, good-sized bay mare, Guarana has a muscular body and a good, reachy walk.
As a producer
Guarana has produced colts by Into Mischief (2022), Charlatan (2023), and Curlin (2024). Her firstborn, now named Mischievous Intent, has started but has not won as of March 11, 2025.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Guarana was bred by Three Chimneys Farm. She was owned by Three Chimneys and John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm. She was trained by Chad Brown and was ridden to her Coaching Club American Oaks triumph by José Ortiz. In 2021, Guarana was sent to the Fasig-Tipton November “Night of the Stars” sale to dissolve the partnership and was purchased by Hill ‘n’ Dale for US$4.4 million, in foal to Into Mischief.
Pedigree notes
Guarana is inbred 5x4x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector and 5x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. She is a half sister to 2024 Fair Grounds Stakes (USA-G3) winner Beatbox (by Pioneerof the Nile) and Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Magic Dance (by More Than Ready).
Magical World, the dam of Guarana, is a winning daughter of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1) winner Pleasant Home (by Pleasant Colony), whose half sister Our Country Hideaway (by Seeking the Gold) won two editions of the First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) and is the dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Boca Grande (by A.P. Indy) and 2008 Hanshin Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Vacation (by Dynaformer). Our Country Hideway is also the third dam of Peruvian Grade 3 winner System of a Down. Returning to Pleasant Home, she is also a half sister to Matlacha Pass (by Seeking the Gold), dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island (by Arch) and Point of Entry (by Dynaformer) and stakes winner Bokeelia Island (by Medaglia d’Oro), second dam of Grade 3 winner Great Island, and third dam of Grade 3 winner Surprisingly. In addition, Pleasant Home is a half sister to Home Sweet Home (by Seeking the Gold), dam of 2010 Unicorn Stakes (JPN-G3) winner Birdie Birdie (by Brian’s Time).
Pleasant Home and her siblings are out of Our Country Place (by Pleasant Colony), an unraced half sister to 1994 American champion older female Sky Beauty (by Blushing Groom; dam of Group 3 winner and important Argentine sire Hurricane Cat, by Storm Cat). Produced from multiple Grade 1 winner Maplejinsky (by Nijinsky II), Our Country Place is also a half sister to Silence Beauty (by Sunday Silence), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati and 2017 Westchester Stakes (USA-G3) winner Tale of Silence (both by Tale of the Cat), and to Million Gift (by Sunday Silence), dam of stakes winner Million Seller (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Yorkton and Grade 3 winner Weyburn. In addition, Our Country Place is a half sister to Crimson Maple (by Rahy), dam of multiple stakes winner Goldwood (by Medaglia d'Oro) and second dam of 2024 Premio Mil Guineas Maria Luisa Solari (CHI-G1) winner Ando Soltera and Chilean Group 2 Toy Soltero.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Guarana’s win in the 2019 Coaching Club American Oaks can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqXBI00nkHs.
Fun facts
Last updated: March 13, 2025
Race record
6 starts, 5 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$1,078,268
2019:
- Won Coaching Club American Oaks (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Acorn Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Cotillion Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FD, Parx Racing)
2020:
- Won Madison Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Keeneland)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 13 pounds below overall highweight Crystal Ocean (a multiple European highweight) and 3 pounds below the top 3-year-old filly on dirt, 2019 American champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter Covfefe.
As an individual
A strongly-made, good-sized bay mare, Guarana has a muscular body and a good, reachy walk.
As a producer
Guarana has produced colts by Into Mischief (2022), Charlatan (2023), and Curlin (2024). Her firstborn, now named Mischievous Intent, has started but has not won as of March 11, 2025.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Guarana was bred by Three Chimneys Farm. She was owned by Three Chimneys and John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm. She was trained by Chad Brown and was ridden to her Coaching Club American Oaks triumph by José Ortiz. In 2021, Guarana was sent to the Fasig-Tipton November “Night of the Stars” sale to dissolve the partnership and was purchased by Hill ‘n’ Dale for US$4.4 million, in foal to Into Mischief.
Pedigree notes
Guarana is inbred 5x4x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector and 5x5 to the great international sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. She is a half sister to 2024 Fair Grounds Stakes (USA-G3) winner Beatbox (by Pioneerof the Nile) and Grade 2-placed listed stakes winner Magic Dance (by More Than Ready).
Magical World, the dam of Guarana, is a winning daughter of 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (USA-G1) winner Pleasant Home (by Pleasant Colony), whose half sister Our Country Hideaway (by Seeking the Gold) won two editions of the First Flight Handicap (USA-G2) and is the dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Boca Grande (by A.P. Indy) and 2008 Hanshin Cup Handicap (USA-G3) winner Vacation (by Dynaformer). Our Country Hideway is also the third dam of Peruvian Grade 3 winner System of a Down. Returning to Pleasant Home, she is also a half sister to Matlacha Pass (by Seeking the Gold), dam of multiple Grade 1 winners Pine Island (by Arch) and Point of Entry (by Dynaformer) and stakes winner Bokeelia Island (by Medaglia d’Oro), second dam of Grade 3 winner Great Island, and third dam of Grade 3 winner Surprisingly. In addition, Pleasant Home is a half sister to Home Sweet Home (by Seeking the Gold), dam of 2010 Unicorn Stakes (JPN-G3) winner Birdie Birdie (by Brian’s Time).
Pleasant Home and her siblings are out of Our Country Place (by Pleasant Colony), an unraced half sister to 1994 American champion older female Sky Beauty (by Blushing Groom; dam of Group 3 winner and important Argentine sire Hurricane Cat, by Storm Cat). Produced from multiple Grade 1 winner Maplejinsky (by Nijinsky II), Our Country Place is also a half sister to Silence Beauty (by Sunday Silence), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati and 2017 Westchester Stakes (USA-G3) winner Tale of Silence (both by Tale of the Cat), and to Million Gift (by Sunday Silence), dam of stakes winner Million Seller (by A.P. Indy) and second dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Yorkton and Grade 3 winner Weyburn. In addition, Our Country Place is a half sister to Crimson Maple (by Rahy), dam of multiple stakes winner Goldwood (by Medaglia d'Oro) and second dam of 2024 Premio Mil Guineas Maria Luisa Solari (CHI-G1) winner Ando Soltera and Chilean Group 2 Toy Soltero.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association’s footage of Guarana’s win in the 2019 Coaching Club American Oaks can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqXBI00nkHs.
Fun facts
- In botany, guaraná is the common name of a climbing plant (Paulina cupana) native to the Amazon basin and important to the culture of the Guarani and Tupi peoples. Its seeds are high in caffeine and have been used as an additive in energy drinks.
- Guarana was so impressive in her maiden win that, when the time came for jockey José Ortiz to choose his mount for the Acorn Stakes (USA-G1), he chose her. The horse he turned down was Serengeti Empress, already the winner of the Kentucky Oaks.
- Guarana’s win in the 2020 Madison Stakes was the 100th Grade 1 win for Chad Brown as a trainer.
- At the same “Night of the Stars” sale at which Guarana was sold, her dam Magical Wonder was sold to Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for US$5.2 million, in foal to Into Mischief. The mares’ combined price of US$9.6 million may have been a record for a mother-daughter duo at the same sale.
Last updated: March 13, 2025