First-out winner Crackalacking delivered a grand slam during the second race at Keeneland April 21. Her performance was also the first winner for Airdrie Stud's freshman sire McCraken, and she was the first winner at the Lexington track for trainer Sarah Hamilton and jockey Ferrin Peterson.
Bred by Mullikin Thoroughbreds in Kentucky out of the Malibu Moon mare Sacred Moon, Crackalacking was first sold at auction at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale as a short yearling for $15,000 to Classic Bloodstock. The filly was then pinhooked at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she sold for $20,000 to Randy Finegan out of Eaton Sales' consignment.
Hamilton said Crackalacking got her early training at her farm and has been nothing but professional. In her debut Thursday in a 4 1/2-furlong $80,000 maiden special weight, she broke like a shot and never saw another horse. She won by five lengths and earned $47,120 for the win.
WATCH: Trainer Sarah Hamilton Celebrates First Keeneland Win
"She has shown a ton of heart," said Hamilton. "We have not pressed on her or pushed on her, but that didn't bother her any. She is so professional."
Peterson has been breezing the filly ahead of her debut. The jockey and trainer met each other at Monmouth Park, where Peterson started her apprenticeship. They came out of a successful meet at Turfway Park this winter where they teamed up on three of Hamilton's five winners at the Northern Kentucky track.
"(Ferrin) is really hard-working and she knows the filly. I knew she would do right by her," Hamilton said.
Crackalacking is the fifth foal out of Sacred Moon, who is a half sister to stakes-placed winners Bird Is the Word (Birdstone), Mademoiselle Nova (Into Mischief ), and Exchange Cat (Exchange Rate). Madagascat, who is Sacred Moon's dam, is a half sister to grade 3 winner Lindsay Jean and stakes winners Honour Colony and Crozet. Sacred Moon has a yearling colt by Klimt named Saucy Ham and is expecting a foal this year by Klimt.
McCraken is a grade 1-placed multiple graded stakes winner by Ghostzapper. He raced undefeated at 2, winning his debut by 2 1/2 lengths and going on to win the Street Sense Stakes and Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), all at Churchill Downs, for owner/breeder Whitham Thoroughbreds. At 3, he won the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) and the Matt Winn Stakes (G3). He added to his résumé placed finishes in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1), and Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2). He retired with a 6-1-3 record from 14 starts and earned $869,728.
McCraken entered stud at Airdrie in 2019 and stands this year for an advertised fee of $5,000.
