Since arriving in the United States this winter, Mister Daytona is a perfect 2-for-2 for trainer Brewer Adams. Saturday night (May 13), the New Zealand-bred horse will make his Yonkers Raceway debut in the eighth race $55,000 Open Handicap Pace.

Mister Daytona flew into New York in early February, only a week after his final Australian start at Gloucester Park. The son of American Ideal out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Chara had won 15 of 21 starts Down Under and amassed $69,641. He achieved the rank of listed classic winner by capturing the $25,000 FFA Im Themightyquinn Final at Gloucester January 27.

“I got lucky because he had raced right before he came over,” Adams explained. “A lot of horses when they come over here get bought a month in advance and they have to wait for a flight. So a lot of times, they’re just standing out in the field until they come over. He had just raced, so he was still very fit when I got him.”

Mister Daytona was welcomed to the Northern Hemisphere by a storm that dumped 20 inches of snow. Getting the pacer acclimated and keeping him healthy was Adams’ main goal in the five-year-old’s first month in the United States.

“When he came over, it was summer over there and winter here. I had to keep a blanket on him all the time because he had no hair. Basically just let him acclimate,” Adams recalled. “He got thrown to the wolves right away as far as the weather. He handled it very well. He never got sick on me.”

After allowing him five days in the field at his farm in Lehighton, Penn., Adams slowly brought Mister Daytona back into training. He jogged for a full month before beginning training miles.

“When we trained down, he wasn’t stellar only because he’s one of those horses that likes competition. When I trained him down by himself, he didn’t seem very interested,” Adams said. “When I brought him over to Pocono and schooled him the week before he qualified, he was impressive.”

After winning a qualifier at Pocono Downs April 19, Mister Daytona made his first stateside start in a $15,000 overnight at Harrah’s Philadelphia April 30. After dropping in fourth early, driver Andy McCarthy angled him first-over with a half-mile to pace. Turning into the stretch, Mister Daytona had four lengths to make up on the race’s even-money favourite Voracity. As the leader tired, Mister Daytona held strong. He posted a :27.2 final panel to win by three-quarters of a length.

“It was nice to know that we had what we thought we had. When we had seen the tapes on him and purchased him, we thought we had a good horse on hand. But when they come over here, you never know what you’re going to get,” Adams said. “I was very happy to see that he took to the racing here pretty easily and then his second start here was even more impressive.”

Last time out, Mister Daytona moved up in class and raced 12 lengths behind a blazing early pace. He tracked cover second-over before tipping wide nearing the three-quarters. With a burst of speed, Mister Daytona confronted pacesetter Dream Out Loud and took the lead a furlong out. In the lane, he powered away to score by 3 in 1:51.2, a lifetime mark.

Saturday night, Mister Daytona will tackle his toughest competition yet when he races in the Open Handicap Pace at Yonkers. He is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and drew post three, well inside of 2-1 favorite Somewhere In L A, who will grapple with an assigned eight hole.

“He’s in with some really good horses this week. Luckily we have the inside, which is a big part of making money at Yonkers,” Adams reasoned. “Mister Daytona raced only on half-mile tracks down there, so I know he’ll handle the surface well. I’m not going to say he’s going to run off, but I think he’ll handle the competition. He’s a pretty tough little horse and he’s very, very gritty.”

Andy McCarthy will drive Mister Daytona again this week, to Adams’ delight. Keeping the same driver in the bike in a horse’s first several North American starts can be critical to their development and long-term success and was part of the plan for Mister Daytona.

“I wanted (Andy) to drive him from the very beginning. We had a plan with Mister Daytona, we wanted to race him from off the pace,” Adams explained. “I don’t want to get to the point where you have to leave every week to make any money. I like the fact that he can come from off the pace and still win if we have to. Andy and I are on the same page with that.”

While Saturday’s race will be Mister Daytona’s biggest test to date, Adams is already enjoying the ride with his new standout pacer and is looking forward to the rest of the season.

“He’s been exciting so far. Any time you have a horse like him in the barn, it’s nice.”

First post time at Yonkers is 7:10 p.m. Click here for entries for Saturday’s card.

(with files from SOA of NY)