Three-year-old trotting colt Daylon Magician dazzled harness racing fans with a 1:54.2 track, Canadian and world record equalling performance in one of two $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Finals featured on the Confederation Cup undercard Sunday afternoon at Flamboro
Downs.
Imperial Count (Scott Zeron) locked in an early three-wide battle off the gate with Mr Joe Sixpack (Jody Jamieson) to his inside and Daylon Magician (Jack Moiseyev) protecting the rail.
Imperial Count eventually cleared to the top at the :27-second opening quarter mark in front Daylon Magician while Mr Joe Sixpack took back to third. However, Daylon Magician swept up to take over just past the half in :56.1 and showed the way to three-quarters in 1:25.3.
The son of Kadabra-Daylon Marvel opened up a five length lead turning for home and kept on rolling. He extended his lead to eight lengths as he sprinted to the wire in :28.4 for the 1:54.2 triumph.
The time of the mile equalled Define The World’s track record and for three-year-old male trotters, set in 2008, and the Canadian record (an all-age and sophomore record). It also equalled the world record for three-year-old trotting colts on a half-mile track, established by Triumphant Caviar in 2009 in Delaware, and was four-fifths of a second off the overall male record, set by gelding Dennis in 2008.
Delcrest Julian (Rick Zeron) and Lakefield (Trevor Ritchie) rounded out the top three.
"Well, on the half-mile track he drew good. He’s good on the front but he's way better really if you come from behind. He wants to chase them down and kill them in the stretch. He’s a real nice horse, just like a Cadillac to drive,” said Moiseyev. “Dave was asking me last week [about the record]. He said the record is [1]:54 and a piece, maybe we can break it. The first goal is to just win the race but heading by the three-quarter pole nobody was really keeping up so I said let me take a shot at it.”
David Lemon of Komoka, Ont. owns, bred and trains the winning colt, who is now seven-for-nine on the year with $305,477 banked. The win was his 10th lifetime and boosted his earnings to $530,777. He paid $2.80 to win as the bettor's choice.
The second Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final was for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and Bob McIntosh trainee I Found My Beach ruled that contest with a 1:53.4 victory, equalling his lifetime mark set last week in his elimination.
Addwater (J.R. Plante) jumped out to an early four length lead by the first quarter in :27 while I Found Beach and driver Randy Waples got away seventh from their Post 4 start. As the field rounded the turn and headed in front of the grandstand for the first time, favourite Warrawee Needy (Jody Jamieson) made a break.
As Addwater led the way past the half in :55.1, Waples directed I Found My Beach three-wide around Fenian Hanover (Jack Moiseyev), who had pulled first up from sixth. With Fenian Hanover dropping back down to the rail, I Found My Beach was left in the first over position.
Meanwhile, back on top Macapelo (Scott Zeron) pulled the pocket and swept to command with I Found My Beach charging up on the outside. The pair was separated by half a length at three-quarters in 1:24.4 with the nearest rival four lengths behind.
I Found My Beach gained the upper hand around the final turn and kicked home to score the 1:53.4 victory by one and three-quarter lengths. Macapelo finished second with longshot Winbak Warrior (James MacDonald) eight and a half lengths behind in third.
The son of Mach Three-Ohio Annie, who is now three-for-four in his career with $97,750 earned, is owned by the Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. of Windsor, Ont. and Robert Kauffman of New Albany, Ohio. He paid $4.60 to win as the second choice in the field.
The Signature Pacing Series also wrapped up on Sunday with Every Day winning the $53,750 final. Driven by Luc Ouellette, the four-year-old son of Western Terror-Eidette Hanover rallied home off cover to win in 1:54.2 by three-quarters of a length over favourite Wild Dragon (Sylvain Filion) and After The Battle (Jody Jamieson).
Ouellette and trainer Wayne Preszcator share ownership of the winner, who surpassed $100,000 in earnings, with Harness Racing Canada 11 of Ajax, Ont. He paid $17.30 to win as the 7-1 third choice.
Cajon Thunder wired a field of Preferred 2 pacers to earn the lion's share of the $15,000 purse and extend his win streak to eight. J.R. Plante drove the four-year-old gelded son of Cammibest-Tex In The City to the career-best 1:52.1 victory over pocket-sitter Windsun Callum (Aaron Byron) while co-favourites Daddy Mac (Randy Waples) and Livefreeordiehard (Sylvain Filion) finished third in a dead-heat.
Bruce Goit trains the winner for JL Benson Stables Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Aaron Waxman of Burlington, Ont., and KDM Stables Corp of Farmingdale, New York. The 2-1 second choice paid $6.70 to win.
For a recap and replay of the featured $532,500 Confederation Cup, won by Bestofbest Hanover and Moiseyev, click here.
For results from Sunday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.