'Weisner' out with fever

BENSALEM, Pa. - A fever will keep Magic Weisner from running in Monday's $500,000 Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park.

Owner-trainer Nancy Alberts said she noticed something amiss with Magic Weisner at feed time Friday afternoon when he was moping around his Laurel Park stall and laid down. He had a temperature of 102 degrees - about two degrees above normal, said Alberts, who had the horse treated with antibiotics. On Saturday morning, Alberts said the horse still had the temperature.

"Unbelievable,'' Alberts said Saturday from Maryland. "This horse has been perfect since he was a 2-year-old. At least I caught it now. He'll be fine in a couple of days. I bet everybody else in the race is happy."

Alberts has several options for Magic Weisner's next start. She mentioned the $200,000 Maryland Million Classic, restricted to Maryland-breds on Sept. 21 at Pimlico, or the $350,000 Pegasus Handicap, restricted to 3-year-olds, on Sept. 27 at The Meadowlands as the two most intriguing possibilities.

Magic Weisner is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup and Alberts said she has no plans to supplement.