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Magna Graduates in Razorback Elisabeth H. Alexander's MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades) was content to stalk just to the outside of the pacesetting Jonesboro (Sefapiano) through easy splits of :24 1/5, :48 3/5 and 1:13 1/5 in Friday's $150,000 Razorback Breeders' Cup H. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, before taking over and going on to post a 1 3/4-length victory. Turning for home, jockey John Velazquez gave Magna Graduate his cue, and the Todd Pletcher charge took off, passing Jonesboro and withstanding the late run of Student Council (Kingmambo) to finish 1 1/16 miles on the fast dirt in 1:44. Sent off the 6-5 favorite, Magna Graduate was worth $4.40, $3.40 and $2.60 while keying the $24.40 exacta and $86.80 trifecta (5-4-7). Student Council rallied from midpack to take second by a half-length over Jonesboro, returning $5.60 and $4 at 7-1. Jonesboro was easily best of the rest as the 5-2 second pick, paying $2.60. Next under the line were Chippewa Trail (General Royal), Red Raymond (Deputy Commander), Kid Grindstone (Grindstone), Steppenwolfer (Aptitude) and Mr. Pursuit (General Royal). Sandburr (Sandpit [Brz]) was withdrawn, preferring to run in Saturday's New Orleans H. (G2). Magna Graduate put forth a much better effort in this event after running a distant last of eight in the Donn H. (G1) in his 2007 debut last out. The dark bay finished fourth in last year's Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) but was moved up to third via disqualification. He didn't return until November, running far back in the Ack Ack H. (G3) before taking the Queens County H. (G3) in his seasonal finale. Among his other wins are the 2005 Clark H. (G2), Discovery H. (G3) and Pegasus S. (G3), and the five-year-old also owns placings in such events as the Ohio Derby (G2), Illinois Derby (G2) and West Virginia Derby (G3). Magna Graduate has earned $1,933,950 from a record that now reads 21-8-3-4. Bred by Nicole Zitani & Ramon Rangel in Kentucky, the winner is out of the unraced Peacock Alley (Fast Play), who has also produced an unnamed juvenile filly by Holy Bull and an unnamed yearling colt by Hennessy. Magna Graduate was purchased for $30,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, then RNA'd at $49,000 as an OBS February two-year-old.
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