The three-year-old gelded trotter Dayson (who was driven by Yannick Gingras) was spectacular in his debut for the Ron Burke stable on Thursday (May 12) at Harrah's Philadelphia.
After having won his first seven races as a two-year-old, the altered son of Conway Hall made a break in stride in his New York Sire Stakes final last fall while racing as the heavy favourite, thus ending his undefeated streak.
After having won a pair of qualifying races to start his 2016 campaign, Dayson made his 2016 pari-mutuel debut Thursday in a conditioned event at Harrah’s.
Dayson was sent immediately to the lead from Post 8. He brushed past the quarter pole and was rated during the second quarter of the dash. He was then challenged by 25-time winner Escuela (George Napolitano Jr.), but was up to the task.
Dayson’s margin of victory (three-quarters of one length) does not reflect the ease in which he won. He was under wraps in 1:53. The clocking was only three-fifths of a second off of the track record for three-year-old gelded trotters, which was set by Pinkman last year.
Dayson is owned by Burke Racing, Our Horse Cents Stbls, J & T Silva Stables, and R. Smith.
(With files from Harrah’s Philadelphia)