Lance Mitchell has shared a connection with the two biggest stars of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's stud barn since before he ever took the job as the farm's stallion manager.As a teenager working at Lane's End Farm, Mitchell spent most of his time with yearlings and mares, but in the evenings he was occasionally called upon to help cover the breeding shed. Now 33, Mitchell still vividly recalls his first encounter with a two-time Horse of the Year and the stallion that would shape his career.“I would go over to the barn about an hour before the shed would start and just walk around kind of in awe of everything,” Mitchell recalled. “That was the first place I got to see Curlin in person and work with him in the breeding shed. I was much more intimidated by him back then when I was 18. He's still pretty intimidating now, don't get me wrong. He has always been a force.” After his time at Lane's End, Mitchell spent several years working for trainer Vicki Oliver, but he always had a goal of returning to a stallion barn someday.While attending the 2018 Kentucky Derby with one of Oliver's undercard runners, Mitchell placed a bet on Good Magic, the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion and a son of Curlin. By then, Curlin had relocated to Hill 'n' Dale and quickly developed into a leading sire. Mitchell watched as Good Magic finished second behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify.Soon after, Mitchell was ready to return to life on the farm. He landed a spot in Hill 'n' Dale's stallion barn.“Getting to come and work with Curlin full-time, I was so excited when I saw that he was on the roster at Hill 'n' Dale,” said Mitchell. “That sealed the deal for me.”A stalwart of the list of top sires in North America every year, Curlin had established himself as the cornerstone of Hill 'n' Dale roster, but his champion son was poised to share the spotlight. Good Magic's arrival for the 2019 breeding season coincided with Mitchell's start at the farm.“Good Magic and Army Mule both started the same year as me, so those two have always held a really special place for me,” Mitchell explained. “I've been through eight breeding seasons with Good Magic and we've spent a lot of time together in the shed. I feel like I know him better than I've known any animal and most people in my life.”While Mitchell was heavily involved in the sport by the time Good Magic hit the racetrack, most of what he knows of Curlin's Hall of Fame career comes from race replays. He said the tenacity Curlin showed in the 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic, drawing away from Hard Spun, Awesome Gem and Street Sense to win by 4 1/2 lengths at Monmouth Park, remains a major part of the 22-year-old stallion's character today. 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic | Sarah Andrew/Equi-Photo“Curlin is a show off,” he said. “He's very proud of himself and he can be a handful when he wants to be. Anytime anybody walks in the barn that he doesn't recognize, he expects something. You've got to give him a peppermint or a carrot or something, otherwise you might as well not even come in.”Mitchell said that the temperaments of the father-son stallion duo, who reside in neighboring stalls at Xalapa, could not be more distinct.“If Curlin doesn't know you, he will test you. With Good Magic, I could send my mother in there who doesn't work with horses and I'm pretty confident she could put a halter on him. He's very friendly and loves attention.”Getting to know each stallion's characteristics is one of the aspects of the job that Mitchell enjoys most. In 2022, he was named Hill 'n' Dale's stallion manager.That year also marked the beginning of a banner era for both Curlin and Good Magic. At the Breeders' Cup, Curlin made history by siring three champions in one day with Cody's Wish in the Dirt Mile, Elite Power in the Sprint and Malathaat in the Distaff.The Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa stallion team | Sara Gordon“He was the first stallion to accomplish that, so that put him on his own level,” said Mitchell. “That was a big day for us here. We were going crazy all weekend, so it was really special to be here when that happened. The quality of mares he was breeding was already through the roof, but after that, we really got to see the best mares in the world come here because of this guy.”The following spring, Good Magic began carving out his own legacy when his son Mage won the GI Kentucky Derby. In 2024, Good Magic's fee jumped to $125,000 and he was represented by another Classic winner when Dornoch won the GI Belmont Stakes.For Mitchell, overseeing two high-profile stallions has come with a certain amount of pressure, but day-to-day life in the stallion barn keeps him grounded.“When you first meet them, it's a lot of shock and awe,” he admitted. “But when you get to know their personalities, we don't really see them as Curlin the Breeders' Cup champion and Good Magic the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner. We treat them all like they're Breeders' Cup winners, but it's something we don't take for granted because we know there are not many people who get to do what we do.”As Curlin continues his legendary career, finally adding an elusive Kentucky Derby winner to his resume this year with Golden Tempo, and Good Magic solidifies his place as his sire's successor at Hill 'n' Dale, Mitchell recognizes the unique privilege of his post.“I had so much admiration for Curlin when I was young and I'm so grateful to be able to spend the years that I have with him,” he said. “He's the stallion of my lifetime. Now to be a part of Good Magic's career and be here with him as he takes over, I'm going to be telling my kids and grandkids about the time I spent with these two.”The post Hands on History: Mitchell Guiding Two Generations of Legacy at Hill ‘n’ Dale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.