World Traveler Magic Wand Returns for Pegasus Turf

If traveling salespeople around the world have a favorite horse, it would have to be Magic Wand.

The globe-trotting 5-year-old mare is surely a champion when it comes to accumulating frequent flyer points. In 2019, she left her Ballydoyle home in Ireland to make three trips to the United States, one to Australia for three races, one journey to Dubai, and another to Hong Kong.

Oh, and let's not forget two starts in Great Britain and two more in her Irish homeland.

Through it all, she displayed an amazing immunity to jet lag while racing on four continents. Though she won only one of those 12 starts, she finished second six times and amassed a staggering $3,489,728 in earnings.

Now, the group 1 winner is back where she started in 2019, in Florida, preparing for an encore appearance in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) at Gulfstream Park, where the daughter of Galileo is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for owners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier and the legendary European trainer Aidan O'Brien.

"Magic Wand arrived in Florida on Monday evening. She did her first canter on the track Thursday," O'Brien said. "She seemed to be in good form. We are hoping she runs a nice race."

Magic Wand's trip in the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf promises to be trickier than her journey in last year's race. 

In 2019, she drew the rail in a field of 10, and jockey Wayne Lordan was able to save some ground while rating a couple of lengths off the lead and then split horses in the stretch to finish second, 2 1/2 lengths behind 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar.

In her return trip to Florida, jockey Ryan Moore will have to pilot her from the outside post in a field of 12, raising the distinct possibility of a wide trip that could prove costly.

In turf races at one mile or longer during this Gulfstream meet, only one of 31 starters (3.2%) has been victorious. Adding to the task awaiting her, Mo Forza (5-1 odds, post 10), and Sacred Life (12-1, post 11) is this fact: Horses who have raced from post 10 and beyond in one-mile or longer turf races have just five wins from 136 starts (3.7%).

In her 22-race career, Magic Wand has grown accustomed to challenges while taking on top competition around the world. 

Her earnings of $4,146,829 from just three victories speaks to her consistency, which is also reflected in eight seconds and two thirds.

Her class can be seen in seven second-place finishes in grade/group 1 stakes for a daughter of the Dansili (GB) mare Prudenzia who is a half sister to group 1 winner Chicquita and a full sister to group 3-placed Je Ne Regretterien.

Two of her wins came in group stakes, topped by her Nov. 9 victory in the Seppelt MacKinnon Stakes (G1) at Flemington in Australia.

That win came just four days after the hickory mare was 10th, beaten 3 1/4 lengths, in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1), also at Flemington.

Her breakthrough group 1 score capped a two-week span in which Magic Wand raced three times, starting with a fourth in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) at Moonee Valley.

After her stint in Australia, Magic Wand resurfaced in Asia, where she lost by a nose in the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) in her most recent start.

"She's a fabulous filly and been in top company all her life. She ran a great race in the Cox Plate, then it went against her in the Melbourne Cup, but to back up a few days later to win here is great," Moore told Racing Post after the Seppelt MacKinnon. "She showed her best quality, and it's very typical of her stallion, Galileo, as his progeny are very genuine and hard to beat. She needs fast ground and had terrible luck with the rain following her. Everything was right for her today."

The condition of the course was a question mark on the eve of the race as heavy rain Thursday led to races being taken off the turf at Gulfstream Jan. 23-24. 

Improved weather Friday and a sunny forecast for Saturday have raised hopes for a firm course by the 4:49 p.m. ET post time for the nationally televised race on NBC.

Whether the turf is firm or good, you can no doubt expect a solid effort from Magic Wand—before she hits the road again.