News Story - Magical Fantasy wins by a neck at Hollywood Park

Magical Fantasy wins by a neck at Hollywood Park

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) Magical Fantasy rallied from fifth with a furlong to go and won the $319,000 Gamely Stakes by a neck at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Magical Fantasy covered 1 1-8 miles on turf in 1:48.18 and paid $14.20, $7 and $4.40 at 6-1 odds.

"She's such a professional, you can do anything you want with her," he said. "She's really game and she's getting better and better. I was surprised to see her pay $14. At the top of the stretch I thought I had a good chance to win the race and I just wanted to make sure that I moved steadily and not make one strong move."

Visit returned $9.20 and $5.60, while Diamond Diva was another nose back in third and paid $3.20 to show. Black Mamba, second choice in the wagering, was fourth in the field of nine fillies and mares.

"It looked like there was a bunch of horses with a chance that last sixteenth of a mile," winning trainer Paddy Gallagher said. "It looked like the pace scratched out of the race, but there's nothing you can do. Alex put her in a great spot all the way."

The victory, worth $196,800, increased Magical Fantasy's career earnings to $649,231, with four wins in 15 starts.

Martin Garcia rode three winners on the 10-race card, while Victor Espinoza and Solis each rode two. Gallagher and Ed Moger Jr. saddled two winners each.

Updated May 30, 2009