Possess The Magic barely makes final

July 06, 2007

The eliminations for the Del Miller Memorial and Stanley Dancer Memorial got underway with the first race at the Meadowlands Friday and controversy quickly ensued when the judges placed second-place finisher Possess The Magic fourth in the first Miller elim, prompting trainer Ron Gurfein to issue a threat. But last year�s Breeders Crown champion will still be joining her rival Pampered Princess, who won her elim in 1:53.2, in the final next Friday night.

Possess The Magic took the lead just past the half in the first Miller elim, taking over from Gerri�s Joy, driven by Ron Pierce. But then Falls For You, who enjoyed a second-over trip, trotted past Possess The Magic and hit the wire first in 1:54.3.

As soon as the judges posted the order of finish Possess The Magic�s number, 2, began blinking. The judges finally ruled that in the stretch drive Possess The Magic had drifted off her inside route, briefly allowing Gerri�s Joy to edge forward before then closing off the path. Others who watched the race weren't so sure any inside route ever existed, and among those was Ron Gurfein, who trains Possess The Magic.

Click for the video of the first Miller Memorial elimination, sponsored by Preferred Equine Marketing.

Gurfein, who trains Possess The Magic, said he couldn't believe the judges' action, especially when they began debating whether or not his filly would receive a final time or show "time disallowed" on her charted line, which would eliminate her from consideration as the fastest fourth-place finisher in the Miller elims.

"I was very, very nice, but I told them if she doesn't get in the final, I'll have an attorney on their doorstep and I'd fight this thing until I died," said Gurfein later that night. "Even Ronnie Pierce told Mike (Lachance, who drove Possess The Magic) that there was never room for the bike, although he wasn't going to go on record because he needed to get in the final too."

As for the winner, Falls For You, a daughter of Yankee Glide, picked up her second win in three starts this season for trainer Trond Smedshammer. Brian Sears drove the filly who was trained last year by Mario Zuanetti.

The second Miller elim went to Granny Gui, who scored in 1:54.1. The seven-filly filly turned into a four-horse race in the homestretch due to breaks by three fillies. Michelle�s Angel made a bid in the stretch drive, but couldn�t pass the tough Granny Gui.

Sam Fava trains Granny Gui, a filly by Dream Vacation, for the Sophia Stables Inc. of Mt. Kisco, NY. It was the filly�s third victory in eight starts this year.

Pampered Princess, the 1-5 betting favorite, spotted her rivals several lengths during the first three eighths, but when driver John Campbell sent the filly to the front of the field, the outcome of the race was never really in doubt. Apecs finished second, but was never in the hunt for the win.

Jimmy Takter trains Pampered Princess, a winner of 10 of 12 starts last year, for owners Bob Anderson & David Anderson. The Andover Hall filly was making her fourth start of the season and now has three wins and a second.

The elim winners selected their post positions for the $350,000 Del Miller Memorial Final on Friday, July 13.

Pampered Princess was first to select and her connections chose post three. Sears and Smedshammer selected post two for Falls For You, while Granny Gui will start from post four.

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