Waggley hit the ground running in her career debut on Wednesday, impressively taking a Keeneland maiden special weight at 4 ½ furlongs as much the best and becoming the first starter and first winner for WinStar Farm’s Life Is Good.
Owned by Ten Broeck Farm Inc. and trained by Wesley Ward, Waggley broke alertly under Joel Rosario and assumed command after the break. Under a strong hold, she coasted through early fractions of :23.02 and :46.29 and was never challenged. Sent off as the prohibitive favorite, Waggley won comfortably by 3 ½ lengths while being geared down late. She stopped the clock in :53.05.
The bay filly is produced from the winning Malibu Moon mare Lunar Express and is a half-sister to Henry Q, winner of the 2023 Mine That Bird Derby and third in that year’s Sunland Park Derby (G3) and Peter Pan S. (G3). Waggley was bred in Kentucky by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding. She was bought for $200,000 by Ben McElroy, agent for Ten Broeck Farm, out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2025 Keeneland September Sale.
A four-time Grade 1 winner in an exceptional racing career, Life Is Good won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) by 5 ¾ lengths—the largest margin of victory in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup; the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. (G1) in 2022 over Horse of the Year Knicks Go; and recorded impressive front-running victories in the Whitney S. (G1) and the Woodward S. (G1).
Into Mischief’s fastest son, Life Is Good ran nine triple-digit Beyers, topped by a career best 112 in winning the 2022 John A. Nerud S. (G2) at Belmont Park. Also precocious, Life Is Good won a Del Mar maiden special weight by 9 ½ lengths in his career bow at two, registering a 91 Beyer and earning a TDN Rising Star designation. All told, Life Is Good won 9-of-12 starts, and amassed earnings of $4,541,700 for CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher. Produced from the Distorted Humor Beach Walk, Life Is Good was a $525,000 acquisition from the Keeneland September Sale in 2019.
Life Is Good’s first 2-year-olds are already in high demand. At the OBS March Sale, his juveniles sold for up to $450,000, $400,000, $300,000, etc., and averaged $265,000. For more information on Life Is Good, who stands for $60,000 S&N, contact Liam O’Rourke, Olivia Desch, or Ben Hanley at (859) 873-1717, or visit www.winstarfarm.com.
