magician
Bred by David and Fredericka Caldwell, trotting gelding Magician was foaled on March 19, 1995 in Georgetown, Kentucky. He was trained at two and three by Jimmy Cruise Jr., and for the remainder of his career by brother Earl Cruise. Driven primarily by David Miller, with Luc Ouellette taking the reins in 2003, Magician was owned throughout his racing career by William Augenstein. Leslie McLaren of Blairwood Farms in Columbus, New Jersey became Magician’s owner in 2005 after Augenstein’s passing and the close of Magician’s seven-year racing career.
With 2 wins in 7 starts and earnings of $13,395, Magician’s 1997 freshman season showed little hint of what was to come.
Three-year-old Magician was a star performer in the 1998 New York Sire Stakes season, including his victory in the $150,000 Final at Yonkers Raceway. The sophomore finished on the board in 15 of his 18 starts with 10 wins and total earnings of $274,978.
At four, Magician's 5 wins in 19 starts netted him earnings of $407,212. Major victories included a leg of the Trotting Classic series and the Nat Ray Final on Hambletonian Day. Magician finished second by a neck to Moni Maker in the $404,250 Trotting Classic Final.
In 2000 at five, Magician triumphed over Moni Maker in the $1,000,000 Breeders Crown. Adding to Magician’s most successful campaign were victories in the Maple Leaf Trot, Cutler Memorial, American-National and the Su Mac Lad Series. With earnings of $1,200,190 and 11 wins in 17 starts, Magician was unanimously voted 2000 Dan Patch Older Trotting Horse of the Year.
As a six-year-old in 2001, Magician’s earnings of $979,375 put him at the top of the list of moneywinning older trotters and third among all trotters that year. Major wins included the Classic Series (setting a 1 ¼-mile race world record 2:24.3 in the leg), the Cutler Memorial, American-National and Su Mac Lad Series. Magician finished second by a neck to international superstar Varenne in the Trot Mondial. He was voted O’Brien Older Trotting Horse of the Year.
In 2002, at the age of 7, Magician, compiled a record of 12-4-1-5 with earnings of $257,875. After a third consecutive victory in the Su Mac Lad Series and a Classic Series win, Magician suffered a season-ending suspensory injury in July.
In a testament to his talent, strength and tenacity Magician returned to competition in 2003 at the age of 8, winning yet another Classic Series. He finished on the board in 12 of his 19 starts with 7 wins and earnings of $446,078.
With a lifetime race record of 111-49-14-14 and earnings of $3,579,103, Magician retired the 8th-leading moneywinning trotter of all time, surpassed only by the likes of Varenne, Moni Maker, Peace Corps, Ourasi, Mack Lobell, Victory Tilly and Reve d’Udon.
Magician died on September 17, 2008 at the age of 13 at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.