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Ex Sport Man wins Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic

Having finished second in his first two career starts, Ex Sport Man (2 g ex Buhn Lert by Oratorio) finally got his head in front when he landed the Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) at Pinjarra on Saturday and in the process became the four stakes winner for his sire Playing God (Blackfriars). 

The Steve Wolfe-trained two-year-old gelding overcame a slow start and eventually came out on top of a close finish to beat Heavenly Waters (Headwater) by a head, while Be Optimistic (Blackfriars) was another length away in third. 

“It’s wonderful,” Wolfe said. “He’s the real deal and we’ve known that the whole way along.

“I was just a bit worried that the race might be a bit short. I’m a bit choked up really.

“It was a beautiful ride and it’s great to train horses for great people – we can all smile when we have success.

“We can wait for the Karrakatta (Plate) or the Sires’ (Produce Stakes) we probably won’t have to run before then – he can just tick along down south now.”

Purchased by Commercial Bloodstock Services for $40,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in 2020 from the Mungrup Stud draft, where Playing God used to reside, before being sold to Darling View Thoroughbreds last year, Ex Sport Man becomes the first winner out of eight time-winning Oratorio (Stravinsky) mare Buhn Lert. 

The gelding’s third dam is stakes-placed Lady Icon (O’Connor) - the dam of stakes winner Beyond Dispute (Dolphin Street). 

Further back Ex Sport Man hails from the same family as Listed winner Todona (Todvega) - the dam of Listed-winning trio Just Tod (Old Spice), My Time (Danetime) and Lady Go Bello (Bellotto). 

In 2019 Buhn Lert produced a filly by A Lot (Tapit) and she was covered by the same sire last season. 

Ex Sport Man joins Group 1 winner Kay Cee, Group 3 scorer Lordhelpmerun and Listed winner Platoon as Playing God’s other stakes winners and he has 14 lots catalogued at the upcoming Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, which now gets underway at the later date of February 18.