With the temperature hovering around 10 degrees and snowflakes softly falling Jim King Solomon reined Blackjack Magic to a 2:00:4 victory in Monticello Raceway’s 9th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pace on Thursday, a race which featured the talents of African American drivers

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Sent off as the betting favorite from the pole position Solomon sent Blackjack Magic immediately to the lead and played hardball by now allowing Artristocracy and local driver Cedric Washington to take command as the field headed to the quarter pole which forced Washington to take back and find seat in the rears.

After the first stanza was paced in :29, Solomon and Blackjack Magic were unchallenged on the front end as they headed for the halfway point. They led the field by that stanza in :59:4 with Bing N, driven by Don Simmonds from Vernon Downs, tucked in comfortably enjoying a two-hole trip.

As Blackjack Magic headed toward the three quarter pole, Simmonds moved Bing N out to challenge and the two pacers raced head-to-head into the final turn. But as they straightened for home Blackjack Magic drew off to a two-length lead which was needed as Bing N rallied late and was gaining in the final strides only to run out of racetrack.

Blackjack Magic finished a head in front of Bing N with Artristocracy third in the mile. Fourth place went to Flying Aftermidnite driven by local horseman, Bobby “Boonie” Williams.

Before the race Solomon said he checked the official program and thought he had the best horse but when Bing N made the strong move in the final turn Solomon wasn’t as sure at that point.

“I saw Simmonds coming and I thought to myself that I can’t let him by so I got after my horse and he responded and drew off open lengths,” Solomon said. “And as it turned out we sure needed that lead because Simmonds was coming for us again near the finish but we held on to win it.

“I’m very appreciative that I was invited to compete and I’m proud to have won it. It especially means a lot to me to win a race that honours the memory of the great Dr. King. He did so much for us,” Solomon added.

Earlier in the day Jim King Solomon drove up from Freehold Raceway with his friend Dennis Watson, last year's Dr. King Pace winner, for the competition and several others in the contest drove in from out of town tracks.

George Newell, who finished fifth with Half Life came up from Yonkers Raceway and George Polk, Jr. who finished sixth with Big Horn, was in from Dover Downs

But Solomon’s buddy Dennis Watson didn’t fare very well and finished last. He had drawn a longshot in Tycoon Ernesto N and had post position seven to boot.

However, Watson put it all in perspective.

“Oh well, you can’t win ’em all,” he said philosophically. “At least I won the Dr. King race last year!”

(Monticello)