SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Aug. 7, 2019) – Moves Like Magic and John McKee used a smooth move to the lead in the final quarter of the race, picking up the win in the 17th running of the $150,000-guaranteed Indiana First Lady Stakes Wednesday, Aug. 7 at Indiana Grand.
McKee had Moves Like Magic ready to roll when the gate sprung open, traveling with Krunch and Marcelino Pedroza to the lead. The three-year-old daughter of Maclean’s Music was content to sit just to the outside of Krunch but kept her intentions of being near the leader very evident. Drinkatthecreek and Jon Court sat to their outside in third for the first half of the one mile 70-yard event.
Drinkatthecreek began to drop back heading into the final turn, leaving Krunch as the only potential filly to catch heading into the stretch. Once Krunch had moved into the stretch, Moves Like Magic took over. She placed some distance between her and the remainder of the field, making it tough for any of her opponents to get close. Moves Like Magic was a two and one-quarter length winner at the wire. Drinkatthecreek came back strong for second over Fireball Baby and Gabriel Saez, who came up from the back of the pack for third. The final running time was 1:42.81.
“This is a nice filly that put herself in the race,” said McKee on his win aboard Moves Like Magic. “She is very easy to ride and has a lot of natural speed. She got into a good rhythm down the backstretch and when I called on her, she was full of run.”
The second favorite of the field, Moves Like Magic paid $7.80, $4.40, $3.40 across the board. She now has four wins in six starts this season and has yet to finish worse than second in 2019 for Trainer Jeff Greenhill, who also bred and raised her with his wife, Sherri, with Greenhill Racing Stables.
“Her mother (Schefflera) was stabled across from me at Belterra and I saw she had made $150,000 and was bred pretty well, but she wasn’t racing well at the time,” recalled Greenhill. “We bought her for $2,500 and she won her first race for us, and then won another one. Because of her breeding, we decided to give her a shot as a broodmare and she’s had three racehorses and all three are winners. This filly (Moves Like Magic) is the best of the bunch.”
Moves Like Magic increased her career bankroll to more than $236,000. The Indiana bred filly scored her second career stakes win in the Indiana First Lady, also connecting in the $100,000 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes Fillies earlier this summer at Indiana Grand.
“She (Moves Like Magic) is a push button filly,” added Greenhill. “She is a beautiful filly and has been that way from day one. She is class through and through and I’m just blessed to be associated with her.”
The win with Moves Like Magic was the third on the day for the Greenhill Stable. Both Greenhill and his assistant trainer, Jose Cazares were busy all afternoon, but their hard work paid off, winning both the Indiana First Lady Stakes with Moves Like Magic and the Governor’s Stake with Toss of Fate.
Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards for customer service, entertainment, gaming, dining, and diversity. Located in Shelbyville, Ind., Indiana Grand features 2,200 of the latest slots and electronic table games in addition to a one-mile dirt race course and a seven-eighths mile turf course offering live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing each year. Simulcast wagering is also offered year-round at Winner’s Circle Brewpub & OTB located on the casino floor as well as a Winner’s Circle OTB located in Clarksville, Ind. For more information, please visit www.IndianaGrand.com. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at casinos. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448) ©2019 Caesars License Company, LLC.
Photos by Coady Photography
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