Driver Dean Magee, affectionately known as ‘Bobcat,’ had a huge night at Running Aces on Tuesday (July 31).
Magee got the winning started immediately in Race 1 on the program, as he guided seven-year-old gelded pacer Barbosa ($11.20) to a lifetime-best 1:52.3 win for trainer Gerald Longo. Magee was back in the winner’s circle in Race 3 with two-year-old trotting gelding MD Magic ($15.00), as he picked up his second lifetime win in what was his third start for trainer Nick Roland. The mile time was a life’s-best 2:03.1.
Magee was right back in the winner’s circle again after Race 4, as he steered two-year-old pacer Do Da Stanky Leg ($4.40) to his first lifetime win (in 2:01) for trainer Gordon Graham in the Minnesota-sired ‘B’ division. Then, Magee wasted no time returning for another win picture, as he guided five-year-old pacing mare Wizzel Stix ($7.80) to a new lifetime mark (1:53.4) for trainer Rick Bertrand.
Next, in Race 6, Magee completed the natural hat-trick in a big way, as he brought another two-year-old pacer to victory in the Minnesota-Sired events. He teamed up with filly Windmeupnwatchmego, a daughter of Wind Me Up, to win the $10,200 ‘A’ division. The duo shattered the track record for two-year-old pacing fillies after having gunned down the odds-on favourite, Burning Blaze, in the lane to post a 1:54.1 victory. Windmeupnwatchmego ($9.00) is owned by Richard Davelaar and trained by Gordon Graham (also of significance is that the top five placings in the eight-horse field all went to the progeny of sire Wind Me Up).
Dean Magee, pictured guiding home one of his seven winners on Running Aces’ Tuesday, July 31 program of live racing
After a solid third-place performance in the featured Winners-Over Pace with Kiss On The Lips, Magee drove Mighty Fine Hi Ho ($8.00) to victory in Race 8. The 12-year-old pacer has now recorded two consecutive victories for trainer Edwin Quevedo. Two races later, in the $6,800 nightcap, which was a conditioned pace, Magee recorded his seventh score on the program. He piloted Place At The Beach to her fifth win in her last six starts. The eight-year-old mare is owned by Peg Hoffman and trained by Gerald Longo. Amazingly, Place At The Beach ($5.80) was only the second race favourite of Magee’s Tuesday winners.
The big night catapulted Magee from fifth in the driver standings all the way to second. Magee is no stranger to success. In a prolific driving career that has spanned four decades, the 54-year-old Wisconsin native has made 4,660 trips to the winner’s circle and posted 14,431 top-three finishes after 41,444 calls to the post. He has piloted his mounts to over $29 million in purse earnings and has steered such memorable horses as Yankee Cruiser, whom he guided to a big off-the-pace victory in the 2003 North America Cup for the Pinske stables of Minnesota.
Live racing will continue at Running Aces on Saturday, August 4. First-race post time will be at 6:00 p.m. (CDT). The carryover in the 20-cent Jackpot Pick-5 wager is currently $7,631.84.
(With files from Running Aces)