O'Brien has Magic Wand, Hunting Horn for Man o' War

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Ireland-based trainer Aidan O’Brien participated in seven graded stakes on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2018. He won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks with Athena and had Grade 1 placings with Mendelssohn and Hunting Horn.

With NYRA’s new Turf Triple for 3-year-old males and females, O’Brien likely will be participating even more in New York this year. Before that series begins, though, O’Brien will make his 2019 New York debut with the uncoupled entry of Magic Wand and Hunting Horn in Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Man o’ War, a 1 3/8-mile turf stakes for older horses.

Magic Wand and Hunting Horn, who arrived Tuesday, are no strangers to the U.S. Magic Wand, a filly, shipped here twice previously, finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf and second in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational.

In addition to his third in last July’s Belmont Derby, Hunting Horn came to America for the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. In his most recent trip to the U.S., he finished third in the William L. McKnight at Gulfstream on the same card as the Pegasus.

“The two of them are very close together; they’re evenly matched,” said T.J. Comerford, an O’Brien assistant who frequently travels to America. “Magic Wand probably has a bit of class on her side.”

Hunting Horn and Magic Wand finished a nose apart when fourth and fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on March 30.

Magic Wand possesses a little more speed than Hunting Horn, which likely will serve her well in the Man o’ War.

Magic Wand and Hunting Horn both won races on the June 21 card at Royal Ascot, but neither has won since. Magic Wand gets in with 116 pounds and will be ridden by Wayne Lordan because regular pilot Ryan Moore cannot make that weight. Michael Hussey will ride Hunting Horn, who will carry 119 pounds.

Hunting Horn drew the rail and will be followed in post-position order by Zulu Alpha, Village King, Arklow, Magic Wand, Focus Group, Epical, Channel Maker, and Kulin Rock.