Daley seeks Breeders Crown redemption with Royal Shyster
October 19, 2011,by Justin Horowitz, for Vernon Downs
Vernon, NY — Vernon Downs horseman Dan Daley knows all about success at the Breeders Crown. He captured the 2-year-old colt trot with Master Lavec in 1999 and finished second a year later with CJ’s Secret.
Daley held another strong hand five years later with the super fast RC Royalty, but blames himself for the colt’s fifth place finish at the Meadowlands.
“I choked him way down and let a horse go that I shouldn’t have,” said Daley. “But that’s the way it goes sometime.”
Fotowon photo
Royal Shyster has won nine times as a freshman with earnings of $228,290.
Daley will seek redemption at Woodbine Racetrack with the best colt in RC Royalty’s 17-foal first crop, Royal Shyster.
The New York Sire Stakes champion has nine wins and three seconds from 12 freshman starts with earnings of $228,290, not bad for a colt Daley plucked out of the 2010 Morrisville College Yearling Sale for a mere $14,000.
“His dad was a really good horse, but he’s actually more manageable and he’s going to go on and be a top, top horse,” said Daley. “There aren’t too many 2-year olds that can just trot a quarter in :27 seconds at the drop of a hat. He’s a good horse and wants to be a great horse.”
Royal Shyster scored the easiest of wins in the $175,000 New York Sire Stakes Final at Saratoga on Oct. 1, stretching his winning streak to seven.
The streak came to a surprising halt last Friday with a runner-up finish in a division of the Simpson Stakes at Vernon Downs. Daley said the colt emerged from the race a little sick, but will be ready for the Breeders Crown.
“I don’t usually go to the Breeders Crown unless I’ve got a legitimate shot and I think he does so we’re going to race him.”
Editor’s Note: A video replay of Royal Shyster’s win in the New York Sire Stakes final is available by clicking the following link: NYSS Final
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San Pail, without question North America’s top older trotter, will once again be center stage as he contests his first Breeders Crown.
- Breeders Crown draws 162 in Woodbine championships (Tuesday, October 18, 2011)
Entries for the $6 million Breeders Crown finals Tuesday morning (Oct. 18) revealed the expected — San Pail, Big Bad John, We Will See — and the unexpected in sophomore filly pacer See You At Peelers and 15 sophomore colt trotting entries, including supplements Daylon Magician and Dejarmbro.
- Buck I St Pat denied Crown entry (Tuesday, October 18, 2011)
With 11 entered for this year’s Breeders Crown Mare Trot, the connections of Buck I St Pat have launched an appeal as the bay mare was declared ineligible for this year’s $250,000 event.
- Breeders Crown eliminations drawn (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)
Breeders Crown eliminations are set for this Friday (Oct. 21) and Saturday (Oct. 22) at Woodbine Racetrack.
- Katz has experience buying and breeding the best (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)
Marvin Katz and his business partner Al Libfeld have been collecting high quality trotting broodmares for years. Their exquisite taste in bloodlines often had them bidding on six-figure yearlings. About six years ago the pair decided to change the way they do business.
- Holloway sends trio to Breeders Crown (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)
Trainer Joe Holloway is sending three horses to the Breeders Crown and already knows he will have at least one horse in next weekend’s finals.
- Czernyson hopes for big night at Breeders Crown (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)
Trainer Jonas Czernyson sends five horses to the Breeders Crown, with three of them, all older horses, advancing to their respective finals on Oct. 29, as no eliminations were needed.
- Minor is ‘under the radar’ heading to 2011 Breeders Crown (Wednesday, October 19, 2011)
Last October, Dewayne Minor headed to the Breeders Crown for 3-year-old male trotters with stakes-winner Wishing Stone and nearly came away with the trophy as his colt finished second from post nine to Break The Bank K in a world-record mile at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. This year, Minor goes to the Breeders Crown without much fanfare, but he hopes to make noise again.
- Hochstetler continues to be impressed by Big Chocolate (Thursday, October 20, 2011)
Although he established his lifetime mark of 1:54.3 when he triumphed in a $75,750 division of the International Stallion Stakes, his conditioner and previous pilot feels Big Chocolate’s best performance to date may have been a third place finish in the $400,000 Peter Haughton Final.
- Plenty of title shots in wide-open soph colt Breeders Crown pace (Thursday, October 20, 2011)
Each year the battle for the Breeders Crown is waged with divisional honors hanging in the balance. Rarely, if ever, has there been a field assembled with as many as five different horses who could catapult to the top of the division with a Crown triumph. Such is the case this year as legitimate contenders and major race winners in the signature 3-year-old sophomore pacing colt division vie for the Dan Patch title.
- Royal Shyster: A smooth operator (Thursday, October 20, 2011)
Dan Daley has been here before. The trainer-owner-driver who bases his operation at Vernon Downs has made a solid living developing young trotters for action on the lucrative New York Sire Stakes circuit. Year-in-year-out he cultivates good-gaited colts and fillies that appear as effective on the half-mile ovals as they do on larger tracks.
- Buck I St Pat appeal denied (Thursday, October 20, 2011)
On Tuesday, the connections of Buck I St Pat launched an appeal regarding the rejection of their entry for this year’s Breeders Crown for older trotting mares. The appeal was denied this morning at the Toronto office of the Ontario Racing Commission.