NEWS
Magna Graduate on a roll with Excelsior victory
Posted: Saturday, April 07, 2007 8:01 PM
MAGNA GRADUATE
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
by K. T. Donovan
Magna Graduate was in fine form on Saturday at Aqueduct, boosting his earnings to more than $2-million with a decisive victory in the $209,100 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3).
Corinthian, the 4-to-5 favorite, jumped in the air at the start and was in last in the six-horse field, a dozen lengths behind pacesetter Accountforgold after a quarter in :23.78.
Under Javier Castellano, Magna Graduate was held in relaxed stalking position early in the 1 1/8-mile race. He advanced on the outside on the turn, and hit the front with a furlong to go, finishing in 1:48.10, 3 3/4 lengths in front of the rapidly closing Naughty New Yorker. Accountforthegold finished another neck back in third.
Corinthian finished fifth, four lengths behind Evening Attire, who was a neck behind Accountforgold.
“We obviously caught a fortunate break with Corinthian getting left at the gate,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “To Magna Graduate’s credit, he has really learned to relax with the blinkers. This was a big race for him. We’ll see where he goes. We’ll try to give him four to five weeks.”
Magna Graduate has won three of his last four races and improved his record to nine wins from 22 starts, including his triumph in the 2005 Clark Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs and five Grade 3 races. He has earned $2,059,410.
Kentucky-bred Magna Graduate is out of the Fast Play mare Peacock Alley.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
K. T. Donovan is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
