Michael Magic gets past Fast Samurai in Greenwood Cup's final strides
BENSALEM, Pa. - Magic Michael pulled a rabbit out of his hat when getting up in the final strides of Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Parx Racing.
The 4-year-old son of Dramedy trailed the field of nine as Sea Foam jumped out to the lead and took control with fractions of 25.82 and 50.07 seconds. Sea Foam relinquished the lead to Sheer Flattery on the third and final turn, and they were joined by a rallying Last Samurai turning into the stretch.
Last Samurai made the lead, but Magic Michael rolled down the center of the track under Frankie Pennington to prevail by a neck in 2:32.01 over fast going. Last Samurai was second, 1 1/4-lengths clear of Sheer Flattery.
Magic Michael earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
Lookin At Roses, Moretti, Shooger Ray Too, Math Wizard, Sea Foam and Forewarned completed the order of finish. Magic Michael returned $11 as the third choice in the wagering.
Magic Michael has now compiled a record of seven wins from 12 starts since being claimed by trainer Jamie Ness for $30,000 last fall at Churchill Downs.
In his final start before the Greenwood Cup, Magic Michael finished a disappointing seventh in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth.
"He shipped over to Monmouth and he's not a very good shipper," Ness said. "He washed out and acted up in the post parade. Mentally, he just didn't do it. That's why we ran today, because we were local."
The Greenwood Cup was Magic Michael's first start at a distance longer than 1 1/8 miles.
"I wasn't really concerned about the distance," Ness added. "He seems like he wants to run all day. We've been pointing for this race for about two months. It came up a little bit stronger than we thought it would. We took a shot. My jock knows this track so well and I think he won the race for me."
"The longer I was sitting, the more he wanted to go," Pennington said. "Once I straightened him up and got him out in the clear, he really took off."