Stellar Magic wins San Mateo Mile

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Stellar Magic ($18) got a perfect trip and ran down odds-on favorite Texcess late to win the $100,000 at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

While Texcess sat just off California Choice through brisk opening fractions of 22.78 and 45.44, Stellar Magic was content to sit in fifth while on the inside. He began to move up, angling three wide on the second turn and had moved into second behind Texcess entering the stretch.

He finished strong as Texcess tired late and won the one-mile race by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:35.57. King Mobay, last early, finished third nine lengths behind Texcess.

"Things don't go as planned very often, but he got the ride we wanted and the trip we wanted," said trainer Brian Pitnick, who recorded his first stakes victory.

"Dennis (Carr, Stellar Magic's jockey) said, 'I think the horse was listening to you when you gave your instructions.' The key was getting him to relax. I was confident once he angled out in the stretch."

Stellar Magic scored his third victory in four starts, earning $55,000 to lift his career earnings to $95,398.

Pitnick said the $17,000 Barretts 2-year-old purchase would be pointed to the $200,000 Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby on March 12 for his next start.