The partners and trainer of Downbytheseaside have announced today that the champion pacing colt will bypass the upcoming Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and instead plans on next racing in the Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway.
"We believe that the Art Rooney is the best preparation for our eventual goal of the Pepsi North America Cup " says partner Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Farm. "We plan to give him the best possible opportunity going into the first big goal of the season, and we feel this is the right path to do so."
Downbytheseaside set the world record for two-year-old pacing colts on a half-mile track in 1:50 at the the Delaware County Fair last year, and then followed it up by equaling the record for a two-year-old pacer on a mile track, winning his International Sire Stake division in 1:49 at the Red Mile.
"He came out of his first start looking good," says trainer Brian Brown. "Eased into it as planned, and now he's primed and ready for what comes next."
(with files from Diamond Creek)