'Magic' goes for first win of season

EDMONTON, Alberta - A Ray of Magic, Alberta's champion older mare a year ago, on Sunday will have perhaps her last opportunity to end a season-long drought here at Northlands Park.

A Ray of Magic will meet six rivals in a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares who have not won two races this year other than maiden or claiming.

Trained by Janet Wig, A Ray of Magic suffered two narrow defeats to Code's Decree in optional claimers, missing by three-quarters of a length here Sept. 5 and by a head on Aug. 16. She is winleses in 10 starts this year. Her best outing at the stakes level was a second-place finish to Sly Lady in the Duchess of York.

Galaxy Belle will aim for her fourth victory of the season and is coming off a sharp score against $28,000 claimers for trainer Dale Saunders.

Gleichen Reserve also beat $28,000 claimers in limited racing opportunities this season. In four starts, she was fourth twice at the same level and third to Northern Neechitoo in an optional claimer.

Tuktoyaktuk has not been worse than fourth in seven outings, with an allowance victory and a score over $28,000 company.

Brighton Belle won Alberta Fall Classic events at the ages of 2 and 3 but her lone success since then was an 8 1/2-length score in an optional claimer this spring.

Like A Ray of Magic, Hoist Anchor and Sister Brass are looking for their first wins of 2003.

Hoist Anchor, now 8, has not been close since winning an optional claimer here 13 months ago while 5-year-old Sister Brass has not in the money for more than two years.