It required no magic for Daylon Magician to score his sixth straight victory in track record time at Grand River Raceway on Friday evening
.
Starting from Post 7 in the lone $40,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold elimination, driver Jack Moiseyev allowed the three-year-old trotting colt to float away from the starting gate, landing in fifth spot as Incredable Frank (James MacDonald) led the field of 10 to a :28.2 opening quarter.
Heading past the grandstand for the first time, Moiseyev decided to give fans a closer look at their top choice and sent Daylon Magician out three-wide around the pacesetting Incredable Frank and the parked out Traverse Seelster (Mike Saftic).
Effortlessly taking command, Daylon Magician reached the 1:27.3 three-quarters with a one length lead, but stretched it out to three and one-half lengths before he coasted under the wire in 1:57.2. Delcrest Julian (Rick Zeron) also closed well over a Grand River Raceway surface rated two seconds slower than normal to claim second-place honours, while early pocket-sitter Over And Out (Travis Bowman) rounded out the top three.
In spite of the less than ideal conditions, Daylon Magician’s 1:57.2 clocking established a new sophomore trotting colt record at the Elora oval, lowering the 1:58 former standard shared by Look Closer and Pegasus Blue Chip.
With just one elimination, the top eight finishers earned a return invitation to next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final, leaving a hard-used Traverse Seelster and Lakefield to watch from the sidelines.
Dave Lemon of Komoka, Ont. bred, owns and trains Daylon Magician, who has accumulated 10 wins in 12 starts this season. The son of Kadabra and Daylon Marvel arrived in Elora fresh off his triumph in the $1 million Canadian Trotting Classic at Mohawk Racetrack, where he vanquished a field of American invaders with a commanding front end performance. In seven Gold Series appearances this season, Daylon Magician has only been bested once, in the July 9 Gold Final at Georgian Downs where he finished third to Tamarind. As a result the gifted young trotter sits well atop the three-year-old trotting colt division standings with 312 points, 221 more than second ranked Imperial Count.
Daylon Magician and Moffat, Ont. resident Moiseyev will be looking for their seventh straight victory and their third Gold Final title of the season from Post 3 in next Friday’s $130,000 Gold Final. The complete line up for the Sept. 30 Gold Final is as follows:
1. Tamarind
2. Incredable Frank
3. Daylon Magician
4. Delcrest Julian
5. Imperial Count
6. Mr Joe Sixpack
7. Mister Herbie
8. Over And Out
AE1. Traverse Seelster
AE2. Lakefield
For results from Friday's harness racing card, click on the following link: Friday Results - Grand River Raceway.
(With files from OSS)