Last year’s Horse of the Year in both Canada and the US, Ontario-sired Bee A Magician, needed no magic in tonight’s $250,000 Breeders Crown final for trotting mares at the Meadowlands as she relied on sheer talent to win.
Bee A Magician grabbed early control of the event for Brian Sears and was by the opening quarter in :26.1. She cruised by the half in :55.3 with Handover Belle first up and Charmed Life behind her second over. Bee A Magician passed the three-quarters in 1:24.2 and held off her rivals to hit the wire first in 1:51.4.
Classic Martine was second followed by Handover Belle, Charmed Life (another Ontario-sired mare by Majestic Son) and Dorsay.
A judges’ inquiry was called at the conclusion of the race to determine if Bee A Magician impeded the progress of Classic Martine who sat behind her in second most of the mile and was attempting to come up the inside down the stretch. After a few minutes delay, it was determined that no disqualification was required and the results stood.
Bee A Magician improved her 2014 summary to 4-6-2 in 16 starts this year for $421,000 in earnings and $2.7 million lifetime. Undefeated last year at three through 17 starts, the daughter of Kadabra is owned by Mel Hartman of Ottawa, Ontario, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee of Florida.
“It’s a big step up in class (from a three to four-year-old) and she was raced real hard last year. She was on her toes all last year,” said Sears. “It was a slow start (this year), but Nifty (trainer Nifty Norman) did a great job tonight and adding Lasix probably didn’t hurt.
Regarding the trip and the inquiry Sears noted: “I did get a good middle half, she was really strong so I can’t complain. She beared out a little bit but I couldn’t give up the inside, she was trotting real strong to the wire, that’s part of racing.”
A star in the Ontario Sires Stakes program at both two and three, winning more than $672,000 in the provincial program, Bee A Magician is a daughter of Kadabra bred by White Birch Farm of New Jersey. She is the first foal from the Balanced Image mare Beehive.
This was the second straight Breeders Crown victory for Bee A Magician who captured the final for three-year-old trotting fillies last year at Pocono. She was third in her first Breeders Crown final appearance as a two-year-old.