On Thursday, July 12 at Hanover Raceway, Mark Etsell apparently wanted to see if The Golden Child was ready for the Dream of Glory Stakes. He told track officials after the gelding's speedy mile that the three-year-old passed the test.
Not only did The Golden Child pass the test, the son of Striking Sahbra tied the track record set by the first-ever Dream of Glory winner, Abbey Road C set in 2002.
The Golden Child left like a rocket out of Post 6 and quickly grabbed a three-length lead by the eighth of a mile marker. He never looked back, and went on to pass the opening quarter in 29 seconds and zipped by the opening half-mile marker in 1:00.1.
That is when Etsell put the pedal to the medal.
The Golden Child utilized a :28.1 third quarter to separate himself from the field. He went on to win by seven lengths in a time of 1:57. No one had even come close to that particular track record until Traverse Seelster just missed it last year.
Etsell, from Barrie, commented to track officials afterward that the connections of the horse recently found that The Golden Child was allergic to some of his feed, but that the situation has now been figured out. The connections now believe The Golden Child is ready for the Dream of Glory.
(With files from Hanover)