Just above the interior doorway of his office are several shots of John Sikura posing next to the Thoroughbred breeder’s respective Michael Jordans.
In one scene, the owner of Hill ‘n’ Dale in Xalapa is in awe looking at the legendary Northern Dancer, whose blood runs through generations of game-changing runners. Another photo features Sikura posing next to Coolmore’s mighty hero, Galileo. and still another person sees him proudly at the end of Mr. Prolific prospector.
He can leave his desk at any time and be reminded of what lasting success in a fickle industry looks like. The most important thing for Sikura, however, is that he can also go down to the stables located in his endless farmland and witness with his own eyes the generational legacy being built under the roof. own house.
Wild celebrations broke out at Churchill Downs May 6 when magician caught the 149th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) had a rejoicing partner about 90 miles away in scenic Paris, Ky. In addition to putting my name in the record books when joining Triple Crown winner justification (2018) and Apollo (1882) as the only horses to win a Derby without racing at the age of 2, Mage provided Hill ‘n’ Dale stallions good magic a classic winner from his first case, taking Eclipse’s award-winning son make for curly on his way to possibly inherit the throne from his lordship, who also stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale.
If the feat on the first Saturday of May wasn’t great enough, Good Magic has a chance to let his bloodline dominate the second leg of the Triple Crown. Of the eight athletes participating in the 148th edition of the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Racecourse Pimlico May 20th, dad is the son of Good Magic because Mage is expected to be entered into the starting gate by the 1st class winner Blazing Sevens and bet winner Shows .
The beginnings of blockbusters Good Magic enjoyed in school was exactly what his lineage and talent suggested was possible. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and campaigned by Stonesteet in partnership with the Thoroughbred e Five Racing, Good Magic was named the 2-year-old men’s champion in 2017 following his victory at the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) that year and went on to run second behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify in the 2018 Kentucky Derby.
Retiring to study at Hill ‘n’ Dale in 2019 after a career that saw him also score wins in betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) and Blue Grass Stakes (G2) in his second season his, Good Magic is placed next to the shoes he aims to fill; standing beside his lord, Curlin, the Horse of the Year was twice campaigned by Stonestreet and is receiving much praise for his achievements at the school, where he finished five times among the horses. male lead.
Last year, the father-son duo fired their first collective salvo as Curlin became the first stallion to produce three Eclipse champions in the same year with Malathaat (older women), Nest (3-year-old girl), and elite power (male sprint champion) while Good Magic was second in the list of first-season males, just behind Bolt d’Oro . Elevated by Mage’s Kentucky Derby win, Good Magic took the lead in the second crop list and 12th overall on the overall ranking (through May 17).
With Curlin already asserting its prowess on the track and in the commercial market, the coveted distinction of masculinity by the stallions seems a big possibility.
“It’s something you always hope for,” Sikura said of Good Magic, which has a $50,000 price tag this year. “He’s very prolific and hopefully it shows that he’s going to be Curlin’s obvious heir, which is not only important to the farm but also the emotional attachment to the relationship. by (Stonestreet owners) Barbara Banke and Stonestreet.
“It was a dynasty where you could have a great emperor and his best son and he accomplished so much and they stood side by side with the same relationship of every man. People. It’s nice to have certainty and inheritance between generations- -it’s the pureblood business in the greatest tradition. Things used to be like that and rarely is now. It’s a the comeback when you have a father and son together We’ve done our best to give them the best chance and enhance their reputation and try to continue that Curlin legacy. very fulfilling.”
Good Magic’s early achievements not only elevate Curlin’s continued status as one of the most coveted stallions in the industry, but it also continues Hill ‘n’ Dale’s streak of success with young males. Violence the son of Medaglia d’Oro who is valued at $50,000 in 2023, has his own top second runner in the men’s championship 2 years old and a 2023 Florida (G1) Derby winner Forte . army mule who has won all three of his career starts, caught off guard with his strong start in the stallion, placed fourth on the list of first-season boars in 2022 and now ranks second three in the list of the second crop.
“We haven’t bought any stallions in the last few years. I think pretty good horses were sold as if they were great horses,” Sikura said. “It’s a bit frustrating and a bit disconnected when people ask ‘Why haven’t you bought a horse yet?’ We have two horses in Good Magic and Army Mule, and for a lot of people Army Mule comes as a complete surprise–it’s not for me I’m not saying I have any special knowledge, but I believe in horses and Good Magic, he said for himself.
“I wouldn’t do something for the money. I wouldn’t just take a stallion because it’s priced right, and then after two years you can go out and sell it to Turkey. If that happens out, to me it’s a failure even if you make money.The goal for me is to be selective and feel passionate about every horse we bring in. I’m not always right. But even if I was completely wrong, at least I believed it all the way.”
With the vicissitudes of the livestock and racing industries, authentic moments are to be enjoyed. In Curlin, Hill ‘n’ Dale has an armored-like horse in his impact. With Good Magic, Sikura can feel even more confident with the idea that he can look up and see the greatness ahead of him for years to come.
“Whenever you get great results in any endeavor, I think that really makes the business legit,” says Sikura. “When you can look at a great stallion, it’s a feeling of longevity. They are prolific beyond what they should be, they break records, bet winners and the odds of good horses are high. two and three times more than other good horses have. That’s a great thing.”
