Scene A Magician ($8.40) finally snapped a three-month losing streak on Wednesday night (Dec. 2), capturing the $8,500 Preferred 3 Trot at The Raceway at the Western Fair District after a long stretch of minor placings in similar events through the fall.
Scene A Magician pushed forward from post two in rein to Garrett Rooney, but was out-sprinted to the first turn by Nebraska Jack (Doug McNair), who left hardest of all from the extreme outside. Shortly thereafter, the six-year-old Daylong Magician gelding yielded the pocket seat to Irish Thunder (Austin Sorrie) and ended up in third through a :29 first quarter. With five-eighths to go, Rooney angled Scene A Magician off the pegs, and he advanced steadily to engage Nebraska Jack in a duel through middle splits of 1:00 and 1:29.
On the far turn, Scene A Magician put away Nebraska Jack and sprinted away from his six rivals, ultimately finishing a driven 2-1/4 lengths in front at the end of a 1:59.4 mile. Irish Thunder escaped a collapsing pocket to save second, rallying past the second-over Caviars Triumph (Colin Kelly) — who finished third — in order to do so.
Scene A Magician won for the fifth time this season and the 17th time in his career for owner-trainer Jennifer Pinkerton.
Spurred by a $5,032.70 carryover from Monday night (Nov. 30), the early Pick-5 — which comprises the first five races of the card — attracted $42,866 in new money. The winning 8-8-4-4-8 combination returned $437.66 on a 20-cent base wager.
To view Wednesday's complete results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – The Raceway at the Western Fair District.