Bee A Magician Captures 'Centaur'

Bee A Magician made Hoosier Park history as she became the first mare to ever win the $210,000 Centaur Trotting Classic at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, September 26, while Wakizashi Hanover faced Freaky Feet Pete for the first time in the $100,000 Jennas Beach Boy.

With David Miller in the bike, Bee A Magician dominated a field of nine male counterparts to win by a length in 1:53. The world champion mare was able to overcome a long, first over trip to score her second consecutive victory and first victory at Hoosier Park.

When the talented field of 10 left the gate, Lindys Tru Grit and Andy Miller fired from the wings to reach the opening panel in a snappy :26.4. Wind Of The North and Dave Palone grabbed the pocket seat while Bee A Magician let just enough to grab a spot next in line, third. Yannick Gingras pointed Gural Hanover to the front and they were in command just before the half in :55.3.

Miller gave Bee A Magician the green light approaching the final turn and she ranged up to reach the leader’s wheel at the three-quarter clocking in 1:23.4. As the field turned for home, Bee A Magician began to put her talent on display as she found another gear to trot away from the field. Wind Of The North rallied gamely in the stretch, but had to settle for second-place honours while Gural Hanover held on for third.

As the 3-5 favourite, Bee A Magician returned $3.20 at the betting windows.

“She’s an amazing animal,” winning driver David Miller noted in the winner’s circle after the victory. “She was able to overcome a bad post and unfavourable trip to win that race tonight. There was enough early speed that I didn’t have to move her till late in the mile so I felt pretty good about it coming around the last turn. She raced great again.

“She really is something though,” he continued. “To be able to continually dominate at this level and take on the boys week after week is pretty special. She’s a pleasure to sit behind.”

Trained by Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman, the five-year-old Kadabra mare scored her 41st career win and 10th seasonal victory from 14 starts. With the win, Bee A Magician pushed her career bankroll to $3.75 million for owners Melvin Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.

The victory was also one of four wins on the 14-race card for driver David Miller.

Grand Circuit Racing Highlights Hoosier Undercard

Although all fans, participants and bettors were still assessing the impact of Wiggle It Jiggleit’s sensational triumph in Thursday’s (Sept. 24) rendition of the Little Brown Jug, the anticipation for Wakizashi Hanover’s trip to Hoosier Park on Saturday (Sept. 26) to take on local hero Freaky Feet Pete in the $110,250 Jennas Beach Boy was at a fever pitch. It was a contest of brother versus brother, one of two horses to defeat Wiggle It Jiggleit and the measuring stick for just how talented ‘Pete’ truly is. Unfortunately, despite being valiant in defeat, 'Pete' hit the wire second while Wakizashi Hanover took home the trophy, purse and blanket by a quarter of a length in 1:48.4.

“If I would have had the nine-hole and Trace and his horse would have six the-hole, the result could very well have been much different,” said winning driver Tim Tetrick in the winners’ circle. “'Pete' is a very talented horse and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I also know my brother’s driving capabilities. I know if I had the nine I would have to gun right out there just like he did. You aren’t left with any other option. This horse, though, has little bit of everything. He has enough gate speed to leave to put himself in a good position and then has high speed when called upon to supply it. He paced the fastest last quarter of the night to win this. I’m very happy with his effort.”

There was certainly no drama, as the showdown in the 12th race commenced right when the field took their noses off the gate. Trace Tetrick drove right to the lead and dared Wakizashi Hanover and his sibling to go with them. Freaky Feet Pete traveled his first panel in :26.2 with is rival sitting in the garden spot directly behind him. After a half in :54.2 and three-quarters in 1:22, Freaky Feet Pete was pulling away from Wakizashi Hanover at the top of the lane, but his competitor had plenty more to give. The North America Cup victor wore down the leader late in the homestretch for a score in his first appearance over the Anderson, Indiana oval.

“He’s a wonderful horse,” said conditioner Joann Looney-King, of the son of Dragon Again and Western Gesture. “He just is the horse of a lifetime. I cannot say enough good things about him on the racetrack or in the barn.”

Wakizashi Hanover's millionaire sophomore campaign also includes wins in the $350,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final, a $35,000 division of the Liberty Bell, a second in the $500,000 Battle of Brandywine, a third in the $405,000 Carl Milstein Memorial and another third in the $706,000 Meadowlands Pace final.

Wakizashi Hanover, who is owned by Tri County Stable, paid $3.80 for those who backed him, while Freaky Feet Pete offered $2.10 and third-place finisher Vague Traces paid $5.60.

The winner’s record now stands at 15-9-3-2 for the season and 21-11-6-2 for his career. He has banked more than $1.2 million.

The competition between Wakizashi Hanover and Freaky Feet Pete was merely one component of an outstanding 14-race card with plenty of Grand Circuit action, such as Hoosier Park’s most lucrative event for the diagonally-gaited in the $210,000 Centaur Trotting Classic, the $207,000 Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes, and the $150,250 Elevation Pace.

It was a short field comprised of only five two-year-old trotting fillies, but Sunset Glider swiftly disposed of her rivals in the first division of the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes (race two). In rein to Yannick Gingras, the daughter of Cantab Hall and the Yankee Glide mare Highland Glider, who is conditioned by Jimmy Takter and owned by Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz and Al Liebfied, hit the finish line a head in front for her second win in five career parimutual trips. Her record now stands at 6-2-2-2 and the win lifted her earnings to more than $100,000 while tripping the timer in 1:56.1. She paid $7.20 to win with Womans Will ($2.10) and Wildflower ($3.20) rounding out the trifecta.

Topville Cadillac illustrated she is a force to be reckoned with beyond the Indiana Sire Stakes program, as Hoosier State’s champion daughter of Rockin Image and the Electric Yankee mare Topville Cyberwave, went to the front and held off all challenges to lower her own track record and lifetime mark to 1:52 in her $125,900 division of the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes. Piloted by Tyler Smith for her co-owner and trainer Alvin Miller, the most expensive yearling purchase ($95,000) at last year’s Hoosier Classic Sale is a half-sister to fellow Indiana champs Radar Contact, Always About Katey and Sapphire Martini.

Also owned by Ted Comerford and Twila Hart, Smith placed this two-year-old pacing filly right on the lead in the evening’s seventh race where she led the field through fractions of :27.3, :55.4 and 1:24.3 prior to entering the winner's circle. Although she was finishing swiftly at the end, Darlinonthebeach could not reel in Topville Cadillac, who paid $5.60 to win, and had to settle for second-place. She paid $3.20 and third-place finisher Lyons River Pride provided $2.10 to bettors.

“I hope I didn’t sound silly when I said earlier she was still green and there is still so much more for her to give,” Smith said. “She really is still learning though and it seems like there is no bottom to her. I did drive her one sister, Always About Katey, and you would have to push on her to do her work, but mentally she was sharper. This filly is very professional, she just needs to learn more. I think she is a very exciting horse and I’m thrilled to be driving her.”

Next up was Call Me Queen Be in her $127,150 division of the Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and the Western Terror mare Preppy Party Girl was sent off the post time favourite at 9-2 in the ninth race. Steered by Scott Zeron and trained by Ross Croghan, the filly, who is owned by Let It Ride Stables and Dana Parham, was content to allow the other members of the field to do the heavy lifting as Cant Touch This led the way with fractions of :27.1, :56.4 and 1:26.3 before Call Me Queen Be exploded in mid-stretch along the pylons to win by a length in 1:54.4. She paid $3.00 for the victory, while Yankee Moonshine provided $3.00 for her second-place finish and JK Fannie yielded $4.40 for her third.

“Not many two-year-olds would come up on the inside the way she did when they only have a few races under their belt,” Zeron said. “She is just absolutely push button to drive though and two fingers. She does get worked up for the races, as she just about flipped over the in paddock before coming out on the track and she won’t stand in the winner's circle, but she has a lot of ability. I think she will only improve with time.”

He was sent off the 3-1 selection in the $150,150 Elevation (race 11), and American Passport illustrated why he finished second in his Metro Pace elimination earlier this season. The Tony Alagna pupil, who was driven by Scott Zeron, races as a homebred for Brittany Farms and is also owned by Alagna as well as Riverview Racing. It was 81-1 outsider Allies Cruiser who established all the early splits of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:52.2. Just when it appeared to be bombs away, the faltering leader was overwhelmed by first Manhattan Beach, then Mindtrip and ultimately American Passport. The son of American Ideal and the Four Starzzz Shark mare Star Of The Show, tripped the timer in 1:52.2 for his maiden-breaking victory. His resume now stands at 7-1-3-0 and he has collected over $100,000. The colt was headed to Lexington after cooling out from tonight’s performance and paid $8.00 to win. He was followed home by Mindtrip ($9.40) and Big Top Hanover ($6.00).

“We always knew this colt had a tremendous amount of ability,” Alagna said. “He trained down excellent and we were not surprised he was second in the Metro elim. Then he drew the 10-hole for the final and he has experienced some other things that are part of bad racing luck. But he also wanted to always go fast and kind of do what he wanted to do out there. He has really started to understand what is job is and you can rate him now so he can carry that speed. We are very excited about this win and look forward to racing him in Lexington. We are not sure whether he will race once or twice, that depends on how he does, but then it’s the Breeders Crown after Kentucky.”

(With files from Hoosier Park)