It took until the fourteenth and final race of the night but veteran reinsman Dean Magee, who has always had a flair for the dramatic, finally notched his 4,000th career driving victory on Friday night at Maywood Park
as he guided Clever Sadie to a neck victory to reach the coveted career milestone.
The 46-year-old Magee who was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin grew up on a farm in Green Bay and developed his interest in harness racing at young age while watching his dad and uncle race horses on the Wisconsin fair circuit.
The sport was further ingrained in him when his older brother and now Hall of Famer Dave headed to Quad City Downs to embark on his career in harness racing.
“I went down to see Dave when I was about 12-years-old and worked for him that summer cleaning stalls and jogging horses,” Dean recalled. “In my mind I couldn’t wait to get through school so I could work with the horses on a full time basis too. The driving end of the sport appealed to me right away and it’s what I liked the most. I was hooked on that end of it from the first time I jogged a horse.”
Beginning his driving career in 1981 “Bobcat” as he’s known by around the drivers room spent his early years bouncing between Balmoral and Quad City Downs with stops at Canterbury Downs and Fairmount Park. After winning three straight driving titles at Quad City Downs Dean headed to the Chicago market on a full time basis.
“I wanted to get the money and experience of driving with the top drivers in the sport in Chicago at that time,” said Magee. “That really helped me develop my skills and I’ve met some great people along the way.”
With Friday night’s victory the Magee brothers currently rank second in the sport behind only Herve, Yves and Henri Filion who currently have over 19,000 victories between them.
State-bred pacing colts were also in action on Friday night at Maywood as a field six three-year-olds were sent postward in the $9,000 Gosox Stake.
Putting his fine gate speed to good use L&L DeVisser’s Fox Valley Griffin cruised to an easy three-quarters of a length victory in 1:54.4.
Perfectly handled by driver Jamaica Patton the gelded son of Sportsmaster-Fox Valley Gale shot right to the top from post position three where he proceeded to rattle off splits of :27.3, :57.2 and 1:26.2.
After fending off a first over challenge from Race Track Stormy (Ridge Warren) as the field moved around the final turn, Fox Valley Griffin then kept the pocket sitting AJ Gets The Money (John De Long) at bay as he notched his first win in three starts this season. AJ Gets The Money was second while Turn It Up Loud (Brian Carpenter) finished third.
With the victory the Nick Giberson trainee now boasts five career wins and almost $48,000 in earnings for his connections.
(Maywood Park)