Fashion Delight, one of last year’s elite two-year-olds, will make his sophomore qualifying debut Thursday at The Meadowlands
according to trainer Jim Campbell.
Ranked #4 in the Trot North America Cup Spring Book, the son of Bettors Delight-B Js Sunshine conducted a 5-3-3 record from 11 starts last year as a freshman.
“The plan is to qualify him this Thursday at The Meadowlands,” Campbell said. “He’s come back in great form and we’ll likely qualify him twice and go from there.”
The $35,000 yearling purchase from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale captured the $473,000 Woodrow Wilson Stakes in 1:51 before ending his season with $510,680 in earnings.
“That race impressed me the most (Woodrow Wilson final). With a sixteenth of racetrack left, I thought he might get beat but he really dug in. He showed me his class and talent that night.”
Owned by Fashion Farms of New Hope, PA, Fashion Delight toiled in the shadow of Big Jim last year. He finished third to the superstar pacer in both the $600,000 Breeders Crown and $709,000 Governors Cup.
“Other than Big Jim, I think there is about seven or eight of last year's top two-year-olds that weren’t far off each other. Plus, you never know what’s going to come out of the woodwork this year. In today’s game, they can all go the speed which is required; I think it comes down to who’s peaking at the right time.”
Campbell also confirmed as Trot Insider reported in April that the Empire Breeders at Tioga Downs will likely be Fashion Delight's first pari-mutuel test this season.
(WEG)