Jack Was Johnny On The Spot

Sixteen months ago Jack Moiseyev was asked to drive a two-year-old trotter in a baby race at Mohawk Racetrack. The veteran reinsman agreed, and returned to the paddock two minutes later a charter member of the Daylon Magician fan club

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On Saturday night Moiseyev will line Daylon Magician up behind the Woodbine Racetrack starting gate in pursuit of his eighth straight victory and fourth Gold Final title, and the Moffat resident is still grateful that he was the driver Dave Lemon approached in the paddock on that Saturday morning last June.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” reflects Moiseyev. “You look for one like this your whole driving career, and if you are lucky you get to pick one up like that.”

Moiseyev piloted the colt in all but one of his eight freshman starts, capping off the season with a victory in the $300,000 Super Final, and has only missed two starts through the trotter’s superlative sophomore campaign. Daylon Magician started off the season by sweeping his elimination and the final of the season opening Gold Series at Mohawk Racetrack in May, and has only been bested twice in 13 starts.

The son of Kadabra and Dave and Mary Lemon’s homebred mare Daylon Marvel heads into Saturday’s contest on an outstanding win streak that started with the Canadian Breeders Championship Final on July 23 and has encompassed two Gold Eliminations, two Gold Finals and his elimination and the final of the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic against the best sophomore trotting colts in North America.

“He’s got a good set of lungs and a good attitude and Dave’s done a great job keeping him fresh and sound,” says Moiseyev, noting that the colt has won on every size track and off every type of trip.

“You can race him on the front, but he’s actually better from behind,” he continues. “If you can wait until past the half, he’ll fly the last half.”

Daylon Magician has matched the Ontario Sires Stakes record on both the half-mile and seven-eighths mile oval, and will take another shot at the 1:53.2 standard he shares with Arch Madness from Post 4 on Saturday night. The colt trotted to his 1:52.3 personal best in the Canadian Breeders Championship in July to kick off his win streak.

So long as the colt remains happy and healthy between now and Oct. 22, Komoka residents Dave and Mary Lemon intend to supplement the winner of $1,135,777 into the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack, and Moiseyev is looking forward to another run at the top colts on the continent.

“They’re going to supplement him they said,” says Moiseyev. “They don’t have to travel far for it, it’s home turf.”

With just 10 colts entered last week, eliminations were not necessary and all 10 advanced directly to Saturday’s Gold Final, making it worth $170,000. If Daylon Magician can extend his win streak, the winner’s share would do more than cover the $62,500 required to supplement to the Oct. 22 Breeders Crown Eliminations.

The colt and his peers will battle in the eighth race on Saturday’s card, which also features Gold Final action for the three-year-old pacing colts. Prodigal Seelster has dominated the division for the last seven weeks and will be looking for his fourth straight victory and his third straight Gold Final title from Post 8.

Among the colts hoping to prevent Prodigal Seelster from retaining his crown is his stablemate Watermelonwine, who returned to action in late September after almost three months on the shelf. The former Gold Final winner will make his third start back from Post 1 in the $170,000 Gold Final for trainer Dave Menary.

Like their trotting peers, the nine pacing colts entered for last week’s elimination advanced directly to Saturday’s Gold Final, and will light up the Woodbine oval in Race 3. Post time for Saturday’s program is 7:30 p.m.

(OSS)

To view entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Entries – Woodbine Racetrack.