CAMPBELLVILLE, Ont. - Bee A Magician ended a nine-year drought Saturday night at the $680,000 Maple Leaf Trot.

The five-year-old Ontario-bred daughter of Kadabra overtook 7/5 favourite Resolve in deep stretch to become the first mare to win this event since Peaceful Way in 2006. Bee A Magician earned her ninth win in 13 starts this season and 40th career victory.

Resolve, driven by Ake Svanstedt, took the lead in the final quarter mile and appeared headed to becoming just the third favourite to win the Maple Leaf Trot in the last 16 editions. But Bee A Magician, the 2/1 second pick with driver Brian Sears, reeled in Resolve to claim the victory in 1:52.3 over a fast track.

"We were following two of the best horses (Resolve and JL Cruze) and the trip worked out great," Sears said. "Ake's horse raced super, but she beat a stellar field and I'm very proud of her no doubt about it."

Svanstedt also finished second in last year's race as favoured Sebastian K was upset by Intimidate, a 47/1 longshot who was sixth Saturday night.

Bee A Magician won all 17 starts she made as a three-year-old to earn horse-of-the-year honours both in Canada and the U.S.

Natural Herbie, who beat Bee A Magician in last weekend's elimination race, was third in the 10-horse field. Sears opted to take his horse's elimination defeat in stride.

"She was off three or four weeks almost and she probably needed the race," he said. "She is usually pretty good fresh, but she wasn't that disappointing last week, but she got beat by a fresh horse."

Bee A Magician paid $6.20, $3.20 and $2.40 while Resolve returned $2.80 and $2.20. Natural Herbie paid $3.60.

Bee A Magician was the lone mare in the field and became the fifth female to win this race. She drew the No. 2 post for Saturday's event and Sears said his horse simply likes to run.

"She's just a great gaited filly that gets over the ground great and loves to race horses," he said. "She's all racehorse and just a pleasure to drive.

"I'm very grateful and really appreciate the opportunity to drive a horse like that."

Trainer Richard (Nifty) Norman echoed Sears' sentiments.

"She's just a champion and we are lucky to have her," he said. "She takes good care of herself and I pretty much just drive the truck and get her here."

Hambletonian champion Pinkman, driven by Yannick Gingras of Sorel, Que., held off a hard-charging Crazy Wow to win the $700,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-olds, the country's richest trotting event. Pinkman, the 3/5 favourite, took the $350,000 winner's share in 1:53.3 for his 10th victory in 14 starts this season.

Gingras drove Mission Brief to a second-place finish in the Hambletonian but was happy to draw a fifth straight assignment driving Pinkman on Saturday night.

"I've got to say thank-you to the owners, we go a long way (back)," Gingras said. "Just to get the drive back on him was really nice.

"It's something I didn't expect. I'm very thankful for that."

Trainer Jim Takter, who had four horses in the field, captured his fourth Canadian Trotting Classic victory

Crazy Wow at 5/1 odds, was second while Uncle Lasse, at 7/2, took third. Pinkman paid $3.40, $2.50 and $2.10 while Crazy Wow returned $5 and $3.30. Uncle Lasse paid $2.50.

Toronto's Jim Fielding is a part owner of Pinkman.

Also on Saturday's $2.7-million card — the second-richest this season at Mohawk —1/9 favourite Southwind Frank won the $373,000 William Wellwood Memorial for two-year-old colts and geldings in 1:55.4, Caprice Hill, the 4/5 top pick, claimed the $410,000 Peaceful Way for two-year-old fillies in 1:56.1 while Mission Brief, the 1/5 favourite, took the $404,000 Elegantimage Stakes for three-year-old fillies in 1:52.4.

Also, recently retired trotter San Pail, which earned 52 wins — including three Maple Leaf Trot events — in 114 career starts for earnings exceeding $3 million, was honoured at Mohawk.