by Keith Gisser, assistant publicity director, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Jason Thompson steered the 9-2 Magic Sugar to a gate-to-wire win in Friday’s $7,500 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Northfield Park, posting a 1:55 win.

For the six-year-old daughter of Cam’s Magic Trick, it was her 14th seasonal victory, as she pushed her earnings on the year to $64,205 for owner-trainer Jenny Belcher.

Magic Sugar left alertly and easily got the lead before the :27² quarter, relegating rail-sitting Droptop Hanover to the pocket and leaving longshot Fannie K hung out.

Favored Shutupandkissme tried to make use of the cover of the longshot as the field approached the :56⁴ half, but Fannie K tired, forcing her three-wide.

Droptop Hanover pulled the pocket at the 1:26 three-quarter call, but backed up, allowing Jolly Holly to inherit the pocket. She came out on the winner in the stretch and made a brief break, recovering to finish second over True Blue Lu. But when the judges reviewed the tape, they determined Jolly Holly failed to lose ground while off-stride, and flipped the place and show finishers.