Photo:

Alex Evers / Eclipse Sportswire

Breeders Carrie and Craig Brogden and Dr. Sandra Fubini reported that Lil Miss Moonlight, a stakes-placed City of Light mare who was carrying her first pregnancy, foaled a bay colt by Airdrie Stud’s Kentucky Derby winner Mage at their Machmer Hall in Paris, Ky.

Out of a Malibu Moon half-sister to the top-class European miler Taareef, Lil Miss Moonlight was purchased by Machmer Hall at the 2023 Keeneland November sale and sent to Mage for her first covering.

“Absolutely thrilled with our Mage colt, especially to be the first foal from a mare we’re really excited about,” said the farm’s Carrie Brogden. “He already has such a classy look to him, beautiful head, great laid-back shoulder and a big hip. A beautiful colt by a Kentucky Derby winner, hard to be more exciting than that!”

Winner of the Kentucky Derby, Mage famously joined Apollo and leading sire Justify as the only horses in history to win the historic race without the benefit of starting as a 2-year-old. The feat also matched Justify’s record of winning in only his fourth lifetime start.

Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine and raced by the ownership team of OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, Mage’s female family has been further bolstered by the exploits of his full-brother Dornoch, who has mirrored Mage as an Eclipse finalist for champion 3-Year-old honors after a 2024 season that saw him win both the Haskell (G1) and Belmont Stakes. Their dam, Puca, is widely regarded as the leading candidate to be named the 2024 broodmare of the year. Retired to Airdrie for the 2024 breeding season, Mage bred 171 mares in his first year at stud and once again will stand for a fee of $25,000 for the 2025 breeding season.