by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

East Rutherford, NJ — Bee A Magician, the 2013 Horse of the Year, won Friday’s $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot, holding off Classic Martine by a head in a stakes-record 1:51.4 at the Meadowlands.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Bee A Magician (No. 3) edged Classic Martine at the wire to win the Breeders Crown Mare Trot in a stakes-record 1:51.4.

The judges posted the inquiry sign following the finish and reviewed the stretch drive to determine whether Bee A Magician interfered with Classic Martine as she tried to find room along the pylons, but found no reason for a disqualification.

Handover Belle finished third and Charmed Life was fourth in a four-horse photo finish.

Bee A Magician and driver Brian Sears went to the lead in a :26.1 opening quarter-mile and fended off a challenge from Mistery Woman, who tried to get to the front from post eight but was forced to take back and settle into third place behind Classic Martine.

Handover Belle made a first-over bid as the field approached the half-mile point, reached in :55.3, and was second on the outside as Bee A Magician led the way to three-quarters in 1:24.2.

In the stretch, Classic Martine and driver Tim Tetrick tried to find room inside, but were unable to get an adequate hole until it was too late.

“She beared out a little bit but I couldn’t give up the inside right away and she was trotting real strong to the wire, so that’s part of racing,” Sears said.

Bee A Magician (Kadabra-Beehive), trained by Nifty Norman, won last season’s Breeders Crown for 3-year-old female trotters. This year, she has captured four of 16 races and earned $421,314 for owners Mel Hartman, Herb Liverman and David McDuffee.

“It’s a big step up in class and she was raced real hard last year, on her toes all last year,” Sears said. “It was a slow start, but Nifty did a great job and Lasix probably didn’t hurt.

“(The opening quarter-mile) definitely could have taken a toll, but I did get a pretty good middle half in there so she was really strong and I can’t complain.”

It was Sears’ 25th Breeders Crown victory and gave him a win in the championship series for 12 consecutive years.

Norman picked up his third Breeders Crown trophy.