Magic Weisner Pulls Clear in Private Terms; Tesio Next

Magic Weisner took another successful step on his road to the Preakness (gr. I), winning Saturday's $50,000 Private Terms Stakes, the closing day feature at Laurel Park. Magic Weisner completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.15 on a fast track, 4 1/4 lengths in front of The Sewickley Kid.

"I guess it's on to Pimlico now," said owner-trainer-breeder Nancy Alberts.

Since earning his maiden win in his third career start last October at Pimlico, Magic Weisner has lost just once in six races, that coming in a second-place finish to Coach Knight in a November allowance race. The Private Terms his fifth straight win and fourth in a stakes race.

"This was wonderful today but my whole life has been wonderful for the last two months," Alberts said. "This horse is such a dream come true. I am so happy with the way he performed today. We had the two post, it was a short field, he relaxed very kindly behind the pacesetter and responded very well when asked at the top of the stretch. There were some nice horses behind him today and I was very impressed with the way he finished up the last 1/16th."

Magic Weisner tracked Majestic Sir through splits of :23.63 and :47.60 then took over. The Sewickley Kid put in a bid on the second turn and moved within a half-length of Magic Weisner after six furlongs run in 1:12.14. Magic Weisner opened up in the stretch en route to the winning margin. The Sewickley Kid finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Root With Style, with Broom and a distant Majestic Sir completing the order of finish.

"No one seemed to really run out there so I let him do what he wanted to do," said jockey Phil Teator. "We stalked the first half-mile. He took me by the leader comfortably. When the other horse came up outside of him he just pinned his ears, grabbed the bit and started to pull away. This was a very good effort. We ran a little closer to the pace than normal but Nancy told me to let him do what he wanted and see what he had left in the stretch."

Now they'll see what he has left for the stretch drive toward the Preakness.

"The Tesio (April 20 at Pimlico) is our next step and I feel that he got a lot out of this effort today," Alberts said. "I really feel I'm going into the spring with a very maturing, fit and sound horse."

Maryland-bred Magic Weisner is a son of Ameri Valay (by Carnivalay), a two-time winner of Pimlico's John B. Campbell Handicap (gr. III), run at the 1 3/16 mile distance of the Preakness. Ameri Valay won the 1992 Private Terms – then run at 1 1/16 miles -- and then finished fourth in the Deputed Testamony Stakes, and third in the then grade III Federico Tesio Stakes. He did not compete in the Preakness. Magic Weisner is out of the Bold Forbes mare Jazema.

The 1-2 favorite, Magic Weisner paid $3 for the win and topped a $9.60 exacta. He earned $30,000 for his sixth win in nine career starts. (Chart, Equibase)