Daylon Magician Upsets In ‘Classic’

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Published: July 4, 2015 07:30 am EDT

Jack Moiseyev won the Cleveland Classic in 1991 with three-year-old pacing star Precious Bunny and had not been to Northfield Park since. He returned to the Flying Turns on Friday to drive Daylon Magician in the $170,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic and found himself in the winner’s circle again.

Daylon Magician ($19.80) started from post seven and let his competition carve blistering early fractions of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:23.4. Moiseyev pulled second-over and followed cover up the backstretch before making his move in the final quarter and besting his competition by a head, stopping the timer at 1:53.2. The clocking broke the track record for five-and-up trotting horses and tied Northfield’s all-age trotting record.

“Everything kind of worked out for us. They were going pretty fast and I was able to rest him (Daylon Magician) early, and that is what he really likes,” said Jack Moiseyev. “He was in a good spot turning for home because if he is close he tries to beat whoever is in front of him.”

Friday’s win is Daylon Magician’s sixth this year and 31st lifetime score, increasing his bankroll to $1,956,597 for Daylon Farms Ltd of Komoka, Ontario.

Completing the 2015 Trotting Classic were Obrigado, DWs NY Yank, Rompaway Galaxy, Awesome Valley, Il Sogno Dream, Datsyuk and Count Me In.

The track record set in the Classic was just one of four records set on the 15-race program, which also featured 11 $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes races for freshman filly pacers and trotters.

In the evening’s fifth race, Shut Up And Dance ($4.20) broke the track record for two year-old-trotting fillies when she posted a four-length victory in 1:58. Aaron Merriman drove for trainer Dirk Simpson and owner James Bafia. The previous record was 1:58.1 held by both Rose Run Keepsake (Steve Carter) in 2008 and Youre Majestic (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) in 2014.

Lease Ness Monster won the evening’s $13,000 Fillies and Mares Open and broke her own record for four year-old-pacing mares. She won by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:52 for driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. and trainer Matt Waltz, who co-owns the mare with David Waltz. Her previous 1:52.1 record was set earlier this year.

Victory Is Coming was parked every step of the way in the $20,000 Open Trot and still managed to edge out her competition by a nose in 1:53.2. Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. drove the mare for trainer Ammon Hershberger and owners Betty and John Red Shaw. That time beat her previous 1:53.3 record she trotted last year. She solely held the title as Northfield’s fasted trotter ever for about 15 minutes before Daylon Magician equaled that time in the very next race.

(Northfield Park; photo courtesy JJ Zamaiko)

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