by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — It is not necessary to win at Lexington’s Red Mile to advance to the Breeders Crown, but in the case of 2-year-old colt trotter Magic Tonight, back-to-back victories there stamped his ticket to the big event in Canada.

Magic Tonight won his $85,250 division of the Bluegrass Stakes by eight lengths over favorite American Gangster in 1:55.1 on September 30, and then won his $75,750 division of the International Stallion Stakes by 2-1/2 lengths over Melt In Your Mouth in 1:55.4 on October 7.

For the year, the son of Andover Hall-Miss Possessed has won three of five races and earned $93,800 for owners Adam Victor & Son Stable. Next, Magic Tonight will race in the Breeders Crown eliminations, if necessary, for 2-year-old male trotters on October 21 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. The final is October 29, also at Woodbine.

Nigel Soult photo

Magic Tonight lowered his mark to 1:55.1 in capturing a Bluegrass Stakes division on September 30.

“He’s sort of earned a shot,” Daley said. “We’ll see if he’s good enough. He’s gone in the right direction with every start; I’m happy with him. If he can step it up just a little at all, he’ll be very competitive there. If you’re good enough to go to the Breeders Crown, you should go. He’s definitely done nothing wrong to discourage us along the way. We’ll take a shot there.”

Magic Tonight was purchased as a yearling for $55,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. His third dam, Higher Love, is the mother of 1995 Hambletonian Oaks winner Lookout Victory.

Magic Tonight made his debut August 25 with a win from post seven in the Stallion Series at Harrah’s Chester. He then finished second and fourth in Kindergarten Classic races at The Red Mile before posting his consecutive stakes victories.

“He could always go, from day one,” Daley said. “He got a little ouchy with us so we took our time with him. We backed off and put him in the pool for a little while. We just tried to keep him sound for later in the year. He’s got a super attitude and a good way of going. If everything goes all right, he’s got the Valley Victory and the Matron after the Breeders Crown.

“I don’t see a standout colt out there right now. There’s still a bunch of nice ones around, but I don’t see a killer there.”

Magic Tonight was one of four young trotters that pleased Daley. Gym Tan Laundry was second and third in stakes races at The Red Mile and will continue racing in the Kindergarten Classic Series. Nagini, who went off stride in his International Stallion Stakes division, still has the Valley Victory and Matron as options later in the year. Beer Summit was shut down for the rest of the year after winning a Standardbred Stakes division at the Delaware County (Ohio) Fair in 1:56.1.

“We don’t have a superstar in there, but all four of them showed they could go from day one,” Daley said. “They don’t have to step up a lot to be in the top bracket. If they show any improvement at all, they’ll be very handy horses for next year.”

As for trotters joining Magic Tonight in heading to the Breeders Crown from Daley’s stable, Hambletonian winner Broad Bahn and Kentucky Filly Futurity winner Cedar Dove will go to Woodbine.

Broad Bahn has won five of 15 starts, finished no worse than third a dozen times, and earned $1.13 million for owner Leif Alber. In his most recent three starts, all at The Red Mile, he was second and fourth in heats of the Kentucky Futurity and second to Chapter Seven in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes.

“If you had to put your money on one of them being 1-2-3, it’s definitely my fella because he’ll be there,” Daley said. “I think he’s the most consistent trotter of that (3-year-old colt) group. On any given day any of those other ones can beat him, but when you know you’re pretty much going to get a piece of it, you’ve got to go up there to the Breeders Crown.”

Cedar Dove went off stride behind the starting gate in her Bluegrass Stakes division last weekend. She has won four of 13 races this year and earned $237,246 for owners Adam Victor & Son Stable and John Fielding.

“She came out of it all right,” Daley said. “She just had one of her moments behind the gate there. She can do that on you. It wasn’t like she was hot, but she just threw her head in the air and that was the end of her. She’s as fast as any of them. She’ll have her moments; you just have to take your shot and hold your breath with her. She’s quick, but not quite as mentally together.

“We know what we’re dealing with. We’ll take the chance.”