Alphabet Magic Wins Danville Purse Under Red-Hot Borel

May 25, 2009 Gary Yunt

Paul Hanifl’s Alphabet Magic led wire to wire under Calvin Borel to win Sunday’s $53,904 Danville Purse for 3-year-olds and up at Churchill Downs by a half-length over Dubious Miss.

In riding his third winner of the day and ninth from his past 17 mounts, Borel put Alphabet Magic on the lead out of the gate and withstood challenges in deep stretch from Dubious Miss and Mambo in Seattle, who finished three-quarters of a length back in third in the field of eight.

Alphabet Magic, claimed for $40,000 in his most recent start, covered the 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.88. The victory, the fourth in 13 career starts for the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Alphabet Soup, was worth $30,120 and increased earnings to $117,810.

Trained by Mike Tomlinson, Alphabet Magic returned $13.80, $5.60 and $3.60. Dubious Miss, ridden by Jesus Castanon, returned $4.40 and $3 with Mambo in Seattle, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, paying $3 to show.

Racing resumes Monday with an 11-race Memorial Day card highlighted by the sixth running of the $100,000-added Winning Colors (Grade III) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going six furlongs. First post time is 12:45 p.m. EDT.