And now, about Maggie

Maggie was born April 14, 2009 in Virginia (Jockey Club name: Silly Magic) Her pedigree can be seen here (http://www.pedigreequery.com/silly+magic) Her sire is Hat Trick, who raced in Japan and won $3million+. He also held the mile record in Japan at one time. Hat Trick is currently at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, KY along with his fellow stand-out sires Afleet Alex and Tapit. Hat Trick is the son of Sunday Silence, winner of the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Despite Maggie's strong racing pedigree, she did not show a strong inclination towards racing. She raced 6 times (at Charlestown Racetrack in WV and Colonial Downs in VA) and her best placing was 4th. Maggie was listed on the CANTER Mid Atlantic website in July 2012. I made several visits to look at her (as well as looking at 2 other horses listed on the site). As is typical when buying a horse off the track, I did not have an opportunity to ride or watch her be ridden. Fortunately, she was living at a small farm about half an hour from Charlestown, and her trainer was able to spend time with me and show me Maggie in a quieter and more low-key setting. I was able to watch her walk, trot and canter on the exerciser, and I was quite impressed with how she moved. Her trainer was a former IHSA rider (at Virginia Tech) so we immediately bonded over our shared experiences and she had some insight into what I might be looking for in a sporthorse. My trainer Annie came up to look at her. I took into consideration her conformation, her age (I did not go into my horse search expecting to buy a 3 year old!), and other factors. But in the end, it really came down to a gut feeling. I saw something in her eyes, and I felt excited about getting her home to me (something I did not feel when I looked at a couple of other horses). Maggie arrived at the beginning of September 2012, and settled right into her new home.

                                                   Maggie, during her first few days at home

                                                          Maggie's sire Hat Trick

                                              Grandpa Sunday Silence winning the Kentucky Derby