Scene A Magician prevailed off a perfect pocket trip, shooting up the passing lane for the mild upset in the featured $13,000 Preferred 2 & 3 Handicap Trot on Friday night (April 8) at The Raceway at Western Fair District.

A regular in the driver's seat behind Scene A Magician this season, Garrett Rooney secured the pocket spot for the 8-1 shot behind the 4-5 favourite Willyorwonthe (Colin Kelly), who charged three-wide into the first turn to clear through a :27.2 opening quarter. After middle splits of :57.4 and 1:27.2, Rooney moved his mount to the passing lane as outside pressure was mounting on the leader by Franks Angel (Jason Ryan) and others moving wide for the stretch drive. Scene A Magician shot through late and had the jump on the last-closing mare Power And Grace (Brett MacDonald), who won the top trot last week and rallied widest of all from the back to finish within a half-length of the 1:58.4 winner this time out. Finishing 1-3/4 lengths behind, Willyorwonthe held on for third over Esquire (Tyler Borth).

Scene A Magician returned $18.30 for the mild upset. A back-to-back Preferred winner during the winter, the eight-year-old Daylon Magician gelding is now three-for-11 this year with six other top three finishes and $33,544 banked in purses for trainer/owner Jennifer Pinkerton. Scene A Magician, who is closing in on the $300,000 mark for earnings, made his 23rd trip to the winner's circle.

The evening's 10th race finale was declared a 'No Contest' after Darryl Laver's four-year-old trotting gelding Petro Dealin (Jason Ryan) was pulled up behind the starting gate and remained on the track towards the outside near the first turn. AGCO judges declared the race a 'No Contest' due to the safety risk of the pulled up horse to the rest of the field. According to raceway officials, Petro Dealin was humanely euthanized.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Petro Dealin. 

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway