Kieron Magee earns Pimlico trainer title

From a Maryland Jockey Club release

With two days remaining in the Preakness Meet at Pimlico, trainer Kieron Magee clinched his second consecutive Maryland meet title when Mothernaturespell won Friday’s fourth race at historic Pimlico Race Course.

Winner of the preceding winter-spring meet at Laurel Park, Magee is first with 14 wins at the current stand which wraps up Sunday, June 26. The only trainer in position to catch Magee, Jamie Ness, has 11 winners but no starters Saturday or Sunday.

“This is home. I love Laurel, but this is home for me so this means a little more,” Magee said. “I galloped horses here for 25 years and live 20 minutes from here. It’s home.”

Magee was second to Ness at last year’s Pimlico meet after capturing the 2014 title with 18 wins. He has been Maryland’s leading trainer for the past two years.

Favored at 3-2 in a field of seven fillies and mares, 4-year-old Mothernaturespell ($5) is co-owned by Ralph Gales Jr. and Magee. Disqualified from first June 2 at Pimlico, she has four wins from 16 lifetime starts.

“I’ve got some good owners and they’re not scared to put their horses in the right spots,” Magee said. “A lot of my owners are claiming owners and that helps. When those races come up, I usually have one in there, and that helps tremendously.”

Magee has no horses entered Saturday but is running three on Sunday’s eight-race meet finale. Laurel Park opens its summer meet on Friday, July 1.