Puca (USA)
May 17, 2012 – Living
Big Brown (USA) x Boat’s Ghost (USA), by Silver Ghost (USA)
Family 5-g
May 17, 2012 – Living
Big Brown (USA) x Boat’s Ghost (USA), by Silver Ghost (USA)
Family 5-g
Puca was a nice race mare, but no one could have predicted the heights to which she would rise as a broodmare. In 2023, her son Mage (her second foal) pulled a 15-1 upset in the Kentucly Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1). The following year, Mage’s full brother Dornoch won the Belmont Stakes at 17-1 odds, making Puca only the ninth mare in American racing history to produce two winners of races that are now considered part of the American Triple Crown. Puca is still in active production and may well build on her laurels.
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, US$299,406
2015:
2017:
As an individual
A bay mare, Puca is good-sized, roomy, and attractive.
As a producer
As of March 1, 2025, Puca has produced four named foals of racing age. All four are winners. Her important foals are as follow:
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Puca was bred by Jerry Crawford and Paul Pompa Jr. A US$90,000 yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September sale, she was owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Bill Mott. She sold for US$275,000 through the 2017 Keeneland November mixed sale as a horse of racing age, with bloodstock agent Thomas Clark signing the ticket. In 2018, Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine purchased her from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale for US$475,000. The mare returned to Keeneland November in 2023 and was sold to John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for US$2.9 million, carrying a full brother to Mage and Dornoch.
Pedigree notes
Puca is inbred 4x4x5 to Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and a breed-shaping sire. She is a half sister to 2015 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Finnegans Wake (by Powerscourt).
Puca is out of stakes-placed Boat’s Ghost (by the good Mr. Prospector horse Silver Ghost), a half sister to restricted stakes winner Ooey Gooey (by Political Force). Boat’s Ghost, in turn, is out of the winning Summer Squall mare Rocktheboat, whose dam, multiple stakes winner Native Boat (by 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty, by Raise a Native), is a half sister to stakes winner Double Devil’s Food (by Devil His Due).
Native Boat, in turn, is out of unraced Boat in a Moat (by Sauce Boat), whose half sister Secretaridge (by Secretariat) was a restricted stakes winner and is the dam of Grade 3 winner Chicago Six (by Wild Again). The female line traces back to the excellent broodmare Quick Touch, the dam of 1958 American champion 2-year-old filly Quill (by Princequillo) and the direct female ancestress of champions Awesome Feather, One for All, Run the Gantlet, Maruzensky, and El Catedratico as well as the excellent stayer Caucasus and 1995 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Vettori.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Oaks workouts in 2015. Used by permission.
Last updated: March 3, 2025
Race record
17 starts, 4 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, US$299,406
2015:
- 2nd Gazelle Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
2017:
- Won Steve Pini Memorial Stakes (USA-R, about 8F+70yT, Suffolk)
As an individual
A bay mare, Puca is good-sized, roomy, and attractive.
As a producer
As of March 1, 2025, Puca has produced four named foals of racing age. All four are winners. Her important foals are as follow:
- Mage (2020, by Good Magic) won the 2023 Kentucky Derby and is now at stud.
- Dornoch (2021, by Good Magic) won the 2024 Belmont Stakes and NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes (USA-G1). He is now at stud.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Puca was bred by Jerry Crawford and Paul Pompa Jr. A US$90,000 yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September sale, she was owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Bill Mott. She sold for US$275,000 through the 2017 Keeneland November mixed sale as a horse of racing age, with bloodstock agent Thomas Clark signing the ticket. In 2018, Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine purchased her from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale for US$475,000. The mare returned to Keeneland November in 2023 and was sold to John Stewart’s Resolute Racing for US$2.9 million, carrying a full brother to Mage and Dornoch.
Pedigree notes
Puca is inbred 4x4x5 to Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and a breed-shaping sire. She is a half sister to 2015 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (USA-G1) winner Finnegans Wake (by Powerscourt).
Puca is out of stakes-placed Boat’s Ghost (by the good Mr. Prospector horse Silver Ghost), a half sister to restricted stakes winner Ooey Gooey (by Political Force). Boat’s Ghost, in turn, is out of the winning Summer Squall mare Rocktheboat, whose dam, multiple stakes winner Native Boat (by 1971 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap winner Native Royalty, by Raise a Native), is a half sister to stakes winner Double Devil’s Food (by Devil His Due).
Native Boat, in turn, is out of unraced Boat in a Moat (by Sauce Boat), whose half sister Secretaridge (by Secretariat) was a restricted stakes winner and is the dam of Grade 3 winner Chicago Six (by Wild Again). The female line traces back to the excellent broodmare Quick Touch, the dam of 1958 American champion 2-year-old filly Quill (by Princequillo) and the direct female ancestress of champions Awesome Feather, One for All, Run the Gantlet, Maruzensky, and El Catedratico as well as the excellent stayer Caucasus and 1995 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, FR-G1) winner Vettori.
Fun facts
- A púca (or pooka) is a mischievous shape-changing spirit of Irish legend. Most commonly seen in the form of a horse, the púca retained the power of human speech even in an animal shape and enjoyed playing pranks on unsuspecting mortals.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Churchill Downs during Kentucky Oaks workouts in 2015. Used by permission.
Last updated: March 3, 2025