David and JoAnn Hayden’s Dark Hollow Farm homebred Consultant kept telling everyone he loved the turf. And the 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon backed that up in his first start of the year when he galloped home a nine-length winner at Laurel Park on April 30.

Tugging hard as he stalked the pace down the backstretch, Consultant pulled himself to the front heading into the far turn and flew home, widening his margin with every stride. Jockey Victor Carrasco had a hard time pulling up the powerful chestnut gelding after the finish of the one-mile maiden race.

“He moves like a cat,” said David Hayden. “He has a phenomenal walk and great length to his stride, we have always thought he was a really nice colt.” Out of the Storm Cat mare Cat Charmer, Consultant was offered at the Keeneland September Yearling sale a year after the Haydens sold his half-sister Ragged Rose (by Union Rags) at Keeneland for $200,000. Consultant failed to reach his reserve when the bidding stopped at $145,000, but the Haydens were happy to bring him home.

After his early training with Cary Frommer in South Carolina, Consultant was sent to Mike Trombetta at Laurel. He rallied after a slow start to be second in his debut last September, and was beaten less than two lengths in his only other outing before being put away for the year. His future is exciting. “He covers the ground unbelievably,” added Hayden.

Cat Charmer was a $220,000 purchase by the Haydens in 2017 out of the Keeneland November sale with Ragged Rose in utero. Her current 2-year-old, the Mastery filly Tempt, is in training for her breeders with Trombetta; the mare produced a Catalina Cruiser colt in April and wii be bred back to multiple graded stakes winner Independence Hall, who was also trained by Trombetta.