Magna 5 has lowest payout of season

ARCADIA, Calif. - On a day dominated by low-priced winners, the Magna 5 produced a season-low payoff of $1,700.80 to 321 ticketholders Saturday.

The winning combination included three favorites.

The winners of the Magna 5 races were Coast Line ($4) in the John B. Campbell Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel, Yankee Mon ($7) in the ninth race at Gulfstream Park, Cativa ($13) in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap at Laurel, Madcap Escapade ($3.20) in the Grade 2 Shirley Jones Handicap at Gulfstream Park, and Caught Heart ($8.40) in the fifth race at Santa Anita.

Coast Line, Yankee Mon, and Madcap Escapade were favored. Many tickets were knocked out when even-money favorite Bear Fan was beaten in the Barbara Fritchie.

Saturday's pool reached a record $701,105, far above the $500,000 guaranteed by Magna. The highest pool in 2004 was $621,821.

The $2 bet features five races run within an hour at racetracks owned by Magna Entertainment.

The previous low payoff was $8,912.80 on Feb. 14. Last year, the first year the bet was offered, the low payoff was $1,074.20. The high payoff this year was $406,985.80, returned to one winning ticketholder Jan. 29, the first week the bet was offered this year.