George Messina jokes that among the many perks of campaigning his first Grade I winner in turf star Fionn (Twirling Candy), racking up a mountain of airline miles has definitely been a highlight.Messina hasn't missed any of his filly's 13 career starts, including three wins at his home track at Fair Grounds and trips to Indianapolis, Kentucky, New York and Florida. This weekend, he'll board one last flight for Lexington to see Fionn make what will likely be her final start for her connections in the GIII Dowager Stakes at Keeneland.Messina, a Louisiana native, and his cousin Michael Lee of Mobile, Alabama have enjoyed a fairytale ride over the past few years after deciding to partner up in the sport. Racing is deeply rooted in their family history. Their grandfather ran a small stable in Mississippi and to this day, the family tree is filled with racing enthusiasts.In 2022, one of the first horses Messina and Lee purchased together was Stellify (Justify), who has since captured back-to-back editions of the GIII Ladies Marathon Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs and is pointing for this year's Breeders' Cup. The following year, the team of Messina, Lee, and Messina's sons Andrew and Trace–who is an assistant for Brad Cox–dove back into the yearling sales. That was when they fell in love with Fionn and purchased the Dixiana Farms-bred filly for $75,000.Afterward, when they went back to the barn to visit the new acquisition, Dixiana's farm manager Robert Tillyer offered to buy the filly back on the spot.“We were like, 'What are you talking about?'” Messina recalled. “Apparently, the filly had flipped in the back ring, but we hadn't seen it. Maybe that got some people off her because they were hoping she'd bring $120,000 or more. But they kept her for a week and there were no problems.”Three years later, Fionn can still be a bit of a handful in the mornings and in the paddock, but her trainer Brad Cox said that's all fine because the turf specialist certainly puts everything together when it counts.“She's a tough filly,” Cox admitted. “But she just has a lot of determination, a will to win and a lot of fight about her. She's very competitive. Her race record shows that.”In Fionn's debut as a 2-year-old, Messina briefly wondered if they should've taken Tillyer up on his offer when the filly broke last of the field. But after she exploded down the lane and got up for second, that brilliant turn of foot quickly became her signature trait.Fionn wins the 2025 GIII Regret Stakes | Coady MediaAfter collecting three wins at Fair Grounds, including one in her stakes debut in the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes, Fionn continued to build her resume last year as a 3-year-old with scores in the GIII Regret Stakes, GI Belmont Oaks Invitational, GIII Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes and GIII Jockey Club Oaks.The Belmont Oaks was one of most memorable victories, with Fionn going head-to-head with champion Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) and getting up to win by a nose. In earning a first Grade I win for her connections, she also set a track record for the mile and an eighth on the Saratoga turf.“Nobody gave anyone a shot against Nitrogen,” Messina recalled. “And that's understandable. She looked unbeatable. So it was surreal. When she hit that wire, we couldn't believe it. It was bedlam.”A jam-packed winner's circle like the one following that Belmont Oaks has become the norm for Fionn, who has now collected over $2 million in career earnings.Messina said that he and Lee will be bringing around 20 people to cheer on their filly come Sunday. Fionn is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a 12-horse field for the Dowager.After a layoff early this year that was extended due to a bruised hoof, Fionn has finished fifth in two starts. Messina said her race in the GII Flower Bowl Stakes two weeks ago was better than it looks on paper and he has high hopes for her third start off the layoff.“It was really her best race since the Oaks,” he said. “She closed fast and had a 9 1/2 Ragozin. She's doing great and I really think this will be her best race.”Afterward, Fionn will prepare to go through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Messina said it was a decision the ownership group did not take lightly and emotions will undoubtably be high on the Night of the Stars.“Will we be crying? Sure,” he said. “She gave us this journey and she deserves to be a mom and live out her life on a nice farm. But I would recommend to anyone that buys her to race her again next year. I think she's got some upside.”He added, “She's going to allow us to continue in the game forever. She has given us the financial wherewithal to stay in the game.”Racing has become a way of life for Messina, whose New Orleans catering business counts Fair Grounds as a client. He and Lee have already purchased four yearlings this year while beginning to assemble a broodmare band of their own.In the winner's circle for the GIII Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational Stakes | Coady MediaBetween an unforgettable journey with Fionn and the promise of more excitement with Stellify at the Breeders' Cup, he recognizes how lucky they've been in their initial foray in the business together.“This year we were buying horses and looking at each other like, 'Why are we even doing this? This is not going to happen again,'” he said with a laugh. “We're not trying to duplicate it, but we just love the whole game so much. It's something that brings our families together. It consumes us, really. These horses have taken us all over the country. It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal and we'll remember it forever.”At Fasig-Tipton, Fionn will sell as Hip 191 with Elite Sales. The consignment's Jake Memolo is a friend of Messina's son Trace and has gotten to know the family at the races over the past few years.“They're just such great people,” Memolo said. “You're happy to see the smaller guys come out with a big horse like this. They don't own many, so it's been really fun to watch and it's an honor to be able to consign a horse like Fionn on their behalf.”Fionn's dam, Gaelic Gold, at Dixiana Farm | Sara GordonMemolo noted that he believes Fionn's sire, Twirling Candy, is a broodmare sire on the rise. His top three earners–Ag Bullet, Fionn and Kilwin–are all still in training while another top performer, Finley'sluckycharm, is the dam of Sixpence (Kizuna {Jpn}), a Group 1 winner in Japan this year.“He has 12 stakes winners worldwide from a limited number of runners as a broodmare sire,” he said. “Fionn has been a very consistent filly with speed figures up there with the best of her class. I think she offers a lot to buyers.”“When you look at the race record Fionn has compiled, it's extremely impressive,” added Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning. “A Grade I winner, new course record holder at Saratoga, and the earner of over $2 million. You look at the broodmare sire line that she has and she's out of a Giant's Causeway mare. Her second dam's broodmare sire is Unbridled's Song. Her third dam is by Dehere, who is one of Deputy Minister's most brilliant sons. So the pedigrees is rich in quality.”Also headed to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale is Fionn's dam, Gaelic Gold. Consigned by Dixiana Farms, the 9-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway is in foal to Vekoma. Along with her standout first foal Fionn, the mare's progeny includes a yearling colt by Jackie's Warrior and a full-brother to Fionn born this year.“Vekoma is another son of Candy Ride off to a brilliant start in his stallion career,” said Browning. “He recently sired a Grade I winner in Forged Steel. You've got an opportunity to buy a young producer of a Grade I winner in foal to an exciting stallion on the same cross as Fionn. We're very appreciative of the Shivelys and the team at Dixiana for giving us the opportunity to sell Gaelic Gold.”The post Last Chapter in Fairytale Story for Owners of Fionn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.