Magic Mecke rallies to win in return

Magic Mecke made his daddy proud when he rallied from far back to win Tuesday's $100,000 Mecke Handicap at Calder Race Course.

Magic Mecke, a 6-year-old homebred son of the multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Mecke, came into the race idle since Nov. 12, 2005. Lagging well off the early pace of Keep Cool, Magic Mecke swung to the middle of the track under jockey Cecilio Penalba to commence his rally into the stretch, ran by the tiring leader inside the sixteenth pole, and went on to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Keep Cool had withstood a strong challenge from the even-money favorite, Lord Robyn, into the stretch but proved no match for the winner. Bob's Proud Moment raced wide throughout and was up in the final strides to finish third.

Lord Robyn, who overcame a horrible start to win the Blazing Sword Stakes in his previous start, proved to be a major disappointment after stalking the pace under confident handling to the stretch. But he failed to change leads through the stretch and tired badly after gaining a short lead nearing the eighth pole.

Magic Mecke, who won a pair of stakes at 3 but started only three times as a 4-year-old and twice at 5, is trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. for the Trilogy Stable. He covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.28 over a good turf course and paid $9.40.