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While most of the harness racing world required a brief interlude to process the stunning results of the stretch drives in both $25,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial eliminations on Saturday (June 25) at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, there was one member of the audience that was not especially shocked that champion Southwind Frank was not in the winner’s circle and that Dayson was.
“We think Frank is an elite horse and we expect an improved performance from him this week,” said Eugene Kurzrok of Our Horse Cents Stable, who co-owns both horses. “Yannick always takes such good care of him. On the other hand, it looked like Dayson was totally out of contention around the last turn, but he is also a very nice colt that does not like to lose. I knew he would give all he had and as usual he did not disappoint.”
A son of Muscle Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Flawless Lindy, Southwind Frank will attempt to best his barnmate when he leaves from post position 7 on Saturday (July 2) in the $500,000 Beal final. The colt will be steered as usual by Gingras and is the 5-2 morning-line selection. Dayson, a son of Conway Hall out of the Sir Taurus mare Nerveys Taurus, begins his trotting mile from post position 4 with Jim Morrill Jr. in the bike.The gelding is 3-1 on the morning line.
Both horses are conditioned by Ron Burke; they also share mutual ownership in Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables and J&T Silva Stables. Southwind Frank, however, is also possessed by a syndicate including Southwind Farm and Weaver Bruscemi, while the name on Dayson’s papers includes Rossie Smith.
Obviously Southwind Frank, who sports a career resume of 15-13-1-0, has amassed $1,010,561 in earnings and was voted last year’s champion two-year-old colt trotter on both sides of the border, receives the majority of the ink produced on the Burke Stable, but Dayson has proven time and time again, if he stays flat, he is a horse that is always in contention.
The gelding has compiled a record of 14-11-0-0 and earned $252,742 in purses. If not for a miscue in last year’s $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final, Dayson could very well have a perfect eight-for-eight as a freshman. If he had been able to stay on stride in his six trips to the gate this year, he may also have had an unblemished three-year-old campaign.
“We bought ‘Frank’ as a yearling and were fortunate to be able to purchase Dayson after his three-year-old season,” Kurzrok said. “We helped pick out Frank, but Kevin Smith is the one for finding Dayson. It took us some time to put together the deal and we were also interested in another horse the same owner had in
“We are just enjoying watching him. We still do not know exactly what he is capable of achieving, but we could not ask for anything more.”
Despite Dayson storming home to overhaul the pacesetting Brooklyn Hill in the shadow of the wire, and closing a gap of four lengths to do so, Kurzrok still feels his best opportunity to capture the Beal final is firmly affixed to Southwind Frank.
“I’m not taking anything from Dayson,” he said. “He is such a nice, nice horse and certainly has ability, but we feel Frank is just in a class of his own. He is one of those that do not come along very often and when he is himself, we feel he is very difficult to beat. I think Dayson has ability and demonstrated it, but he is not Frank. There just are not many horses that are. We think he will race like he always does and will be right there, but when it comes to beating Frank at his best, that would be a tough spot for him.”
Naturally capturing the lucrative and prestigious Beal final would thrill Kurzrok and his partners. They do, however, have their sights set on a certain race in August at the Meadowlands.Dayson, unfortunately, is not Hambletonian eligible, but Kurzrok and the rest of the ownership group hope Southwind Frank will have them hoisting hardware in the winner’s circle after that contest.
“Dayson is eligible to a lot of other three-year-old stakes,” Kurzrok said. “Just not that race. We are so lucky to own many quality horses right now and came so close to winning last year with Mission Brief. We all want to win the Hambletonian very much and maybe no one wants to win it more than Ronnie. He deserves all the credit for not only these two horses, but for all the horses he has trained and for us over the years.
“It is also remarkable the work he has done in recent years with trotters, as he was always known for pacers and what he has done with these horses is nothing less than exceptional. No matter what happens Saturday or even the rest of the year, all I know is that I am blessed.”
Below is the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial field followed by the fields for the remaining stakes Saturday at Pocono:
$500,000 Earl Beal Jr. Memorial
(Race 12; estimated post time 10:20 p.m.)
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1 – Reigning Moni – Scott Zeron – Jimmy Takter – 10/1
2 – Hollywood Highway – John Campbell – Staffan Lind – 15/1
3 – Truemass Volo – Eric Goodell – Douglas Hamilton – 12/1
4 – Dayson – Jim Morrill Jr. – Ron Burke – 3/1
5 – Trolley – Marcus Miller – Erv Miller – 6/1
6 – Brooklyn Hill – David Miller – Jonas Czernyson – 5/1
7 – Southwind Frank – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 5/2
8 – Dice Man – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 20/1
9 – Bar Hopping – Tim Tetrick – Jimmy Takter – 4/1
$500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial
(Race 10; estimated post time 9:31 p.m.)
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1 – More Dragon – Jim Morrill Jr. – Ron Burke – 20/1
2 – Racing Hill – Brett Miller – Tony Alagna – 5/2
3 – Western Fame – George Napolitano Jr. – Jimmy Takter – 12/1
4 – JK Will Power – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 6/1
5 – Talk Show – Scott Zeron – Steve Elliott – 8/1
6 – Boston Red Rocks – Tim Tetrick – Steve Elliott – 5/1
7 – Katies Rocker – David Miller – Jim Campbell – 4/1
8 – Control The Moment – Randy Waples – Brad Maxwell – 7/2
9 – Big Top Hanover – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke – 15/1
$300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial
(Race 9; estimated post time 9:08 p.m.)
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1 – JK Fannie – Jim Morrill Jr. – Nancy Johansson – 10/1
2 – I Said Diamonds – Matt Kakaley – Matias Ruiz – 5/1
3 – Newborn Sassy – Tim Tetrick – Jo Ann Looney-King – 4/1
4 – Lindwood Beachgirl – Yannick Gingras – Mark Steacy – 12/1
5 – Skinny Dipper – Scott Zeron – Ross Croghan – 20/1
6 – Darlinonthebeach – David Miller – Nancy Johansson – 3/1
7 – Pure Country – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter – 5/2
8 – Blue Moon Stride – Andrew McCarthy – Mark Harder – 6/1
9 – Penpal – Pat Lachance – Pat Lachance – 15/1
$500,000 Ben Franklin
(Race 11; estimated post time 9:55 p.m.)
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1 – Mel Mara – Corey Callahan – Dylan Davis – 6/1
2 – Shamballa – Scott Zeron – Rick Zeron – 8/1
3 – Wiggle It Jiggleit – Montrell Teague – Clyde Francis – 5/2
4 – State Treasurer – Tim Tetrick – Ian Moore – 15/1
5 – Sunfire Blue Chip – Brett Miller – Jimmy Takter – 12/1
6 – Freaky Feet Pete – Trace Tetrick – Larry Rheinheimer – 3/1
7 – Always B Miki – David Miller – Jimmy Takter – 4/1
8 – All Bets Off – Matt Kakaley – Ron Burke – 20/1
9 – Rock N Roll World – Jim Morrill Jr. – Ron Burke – 30/1
10 – Always At My Place – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 10/1
Always At My Place starts from the second tier
(with files from the USTA)