Maywood: Magee brothers look to continue Super Night success

Hall of Fame driver Dave Magee and his kid brother, Dean Magee, accomplished their respective missions at the Chicago circuit’s one-mile track, Balmoral Park, on Super Night. Now, they’ll try to do it again at the circuit’s half-mile track, Maywood Park, on Friday night.

Three weeks after driving their respective 2-year-old pacers to career best time triumphs in the richest of the Super Night races for Illinois-breds, the brothers will be competing in Maywood’s main events for Illinois-bred 2-year-old pacers with the same horses.

In the $55,000 Cardinal, Dave will be back in the sulky behind Fancy Creek Elusiv, winner of Balmoral’s $250,000 Orange and Blue for colts and geldings, and in the $51,000 Violet, Dean will be driving Thank You Doc, heroine of the $189,000 Orange and Blue race for fillies.

In their eliminations for Friday’s races, Thank You Doc led for almost the entire way before being overtaken by Special Rose at the wire and Fancy Creek Elusiv came from four-wide to finish third behind Fox Valley Norman and Fox Valley Action.

Transitioning from a mile track to a half-miler entails some major adjustments. Post position takes on added importance on a half-mile track and Fancy Creek Elusiv drew the outside in the field of eight, the same unfavorable starting slot he had in the elimination.

“Our concern was just getting around there safely and making it to the final,” Dave Magee said. “He has a big move and finishes strong. I’ll have to move him into contention somewhere toward the three-quarter mark.

“Obviously, the longer stretch (at a mile track) would be more conducive to a better finish.”

Prior to the elimination races, Fancy Creek Elusiv’s experience on half-mile tracks was confined to the county fair circuit, but Thank You Doc’s resume shows a 1 ¾-length wire-to-wire triumph at Maywood on Aug. 9. 

“She gets around there just fine,” Dean said. “Racing on the front end  (Aug. 9) is not really her thing but she handled it well. She has a good move.

“The horse I was most concerned with in the Orange and Blue (Auniqueacquisition, who was second by a head) acted like she had an off-night in the eliminations (finishing fourth after having equipment break).

“I’m still worried about her; I’m worried about the one who won the other elimination (Fox Valley Liz); and I’m worried about Special Rose.”

The Violet and the Cardinal are carded as races 8 and 9 on Maywood's 14-race Friday program. Post time is 8:10 E.S.T.