Street Magician pulls out Aventura

R. Larry Johnson's homebred STREET MAGICIAN (Street Cry [Ire]) successfully jumped from

maiden special weight to stakes company in Saturday's $139,500

Aventura S.,

gamely persevering after a determined stretch drive to record a

half-length decision. An eight-length maiden special weight winner in his

previous start, the Michael Trombetta-trained sophomore colt pressed fast early

splits in :22 and :44 3/5 while three wide and offered his bid turning for home,

eventually getting past pacesetter Finallymadeit (Concerto) in midstretch before

withstanding the rallies of runner-up Yesbyjimminy (Yes It's True) and third-placer Our Sacred Honor (Honour and Glory). Street Magician finished seven

furlongs in 1:22 1/5 over Gulfstream Park's fast track under Rafael Bejarano.

A slight 5-2 favorite, Street Magician paid $7, $4.80 and $3.80 while keying

the $22.60 exacta ($1) with the 7-1 Yesbyjimminy, who gave back $7 and $5 after

edging out Our Sacred Honor by a neck. Show was worth $5 at nearly 7-1. The $1

trifecta returned $163.60, and the $1 superfecta (8-4-1-2) was $538 with the

near 4-1 Green Vegas (Trippi) on the bottom. Finallymadeit, James Wilfred (Trippi),

Silver Source (Honour and Glory) and 5-2 second choice Blue Bullet (Red Bullet)

rounded out the order of finish. Dippi Trippi (Trippi) was pulled up on the turn.

The Kentucky-bred Street Magician made his career debut on January 27,

finishing third to Blue Bullet, and the lightly raced bay colt has now won two

straight at Gulfstream while compiling $101,220 in earnings.

"I was privileged last year to be part of the (Kentucky) Derby (G1) and

Preakness (G1) with Sweetnorthernsaint (Sweetsouthernsaint), and we all got to

see what Bernardini did with a similar background (lightly raced) to this colt,"

Trombetta said. "This one is a little late to come around, but we're going to

take it one step at a time, see how he comes out of it."

Trombetta added that Street Magician will head to the one-mile Withers S.

(G3) on April 28, the same race Bernardini won before capturing the Preakness.

"He was slow to mature, but he's really changed a lot this winter," Trombetta

explained.

Street Magician is out of the unraced Magical Meadow (Meadowlake). He has an

unraced juvenile half-sister named Miz Magician (Mizzen Mast) and an unnamed

yearling half-sister by More Than Ready.