O'Brien Award winner Bee A Magician and Motown Muscle delivered on their pari-mutuel promises in Grand Circuit action on Friday night at Mohawk Racetrack with a pair of winning efforts in the Casual Breeze Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies.
After sweeping the SBOA Stakes elimination and final earlier this month to start her sophomore campaign, Bee A Magician ($2.30) and driver Rick Zeron overcame an outside post eight start to win the first $75,000 Casual Breeze division in 1:54.2 over the 'good' track rated one second off.
Bee A Magician got away fourth during a :27.4 opening panel put up by Angies Lucky Star and Sylvain Filion. The 1-9 favourite made her move during the second panel and began to advance first over while Angies Lucky Star led the way to the half in :56.4 and three-quarters in 1:25.2. Bee A Magician began to lay on the pressure around the final turn and eventually wore down the leader in the stretch to win by two and a half lengths. Princess Lilly, driven by Mario Baillargeon, kicked home off cover to grab second-place honours over Angies Lucky Star.
The winning Kadabra-Beehive filly is trained by Richard 'Nifty' Norman for owners Melvin Hartman of Ottawa, Ont., Herb Liverman of Miami Beach, Florida, and David McDuffee of Delray Beach, Florida. She now boasts a career record reading 13-1-1 in 16 starts with earnings totalling $888,520.
Team Baillargeon later celebrated a Casual Breeze victory with Motown Muscle ($4.10) after settling for second in the first division.
Mario Baillargeon sent Motown Muscle, who is trained by his brother Ben, from fourth to first over early leader Samartina and Randy Waples after the :29-second opening panel. The favoured filly proceeded to lead the field past the half in :58.4 and three-quarters in 1:27.4 while rebuffing the first over challenge from Choir Robe and Zeron into the stretch. Motown Muscle dug in down the lane and held off the late-closing Seeuinthespring, driven by Anthony MacDonald, to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.1. Choir Robe finished one and a half lengths behind in third.
A top three finisher in the SBOA Stakes, Motown Muscle earned her first win of the season. The Muscle Mass-Bankers Jackpot filly is owned and bred by Bet Max Stables Inc. of Casco, Michigan and Benenati Inc. of Clinton Twp, Michigan. She now sports a career record reading 4-4-3 in 15 starts with earnings climbing to $194,631.
Driver Chris Christoforou dominated Friday's regular racing action with five wins on the night. He won the sixth race with Flanagan Memory ($6.80) for trainer Rene Dion and then later reeled off four in a row to close out the card. His final victories over the track downgraded to sloppy were with the Nick Gallucci-trained Janie Bay ($6.10), Air Miles Hanover ($11.50) for Tony O'Sullivan, Set Me Up ($6.20), conditioned by Gregory Drew, and Gerard Demers trainee Pacific Western ($6.20).
To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.