by Greg Gangle, WEG media
Campbellville, ON — With a pair of C$40,000 Canadian Trotting Classic eliminations taking place Saturday night (September 10) at Mohawk, it was Daylon Magician and Manofmanymissions finding the winner’s circle to advance to next week’s C$1 million final.
Daylon Magician was a 1:53.3 winner in the first elimination.
In the first elimination, only 2-3/4 lengths separated the entire seven horse field at the wire, but it was the odds-on favorite, Daylon Magician (Jack Moiseyev), who crossed the line first. Daylon Magician, fresh off equaling the world record for 3-year-old trotters at Flamboro Downs, earned his eighth win this season for trainer/owner David Lemon as he stopped the clock in 1:53.3.
VC Chocoholic (Brian Sears) was the quickest off the gate from post seven and established command past the first quarter in :27.2. Luckycharm Hanover (David Miller) was in the pocket with this year’s Hambletonian winner Broad Bahn (George Brennan) in third. The field would remain the same past the midway point in :57.
Broad Bahn began the first over attack around the final turn with Daylon Magician tracking him. Blue Porsche (Jody Jamieson) was also well positioned third over with Whatever It Takes (Andy Miller) saving ground in sixth. As VC Chocoholic passed three-quarters in 1:25 the entire backfield was closing in.
In deep stretch, the tempo-setter began to tire as Daylon Magician was able to score the victory by a neck over Broad Bahn with 70-1 longshot Sim Brown finishing third, beaten just a half-length. Also advancing to the rich final are Whatever It Takes, who finished fourth, and the fifth place finisher, Blue Porsche.
“He’s just a nice horse, he can race with anybody. If he gets the right trip he could get beat or he could beat them,” Moiseyev said following the victory.
Turning for home, Moiseyev believed he was in a perfect spot to find the winner’s circle.
“I was well-positioned, second over at the head of the stretch,” he said. “There was a bunch of good horses scattered across the track, but I thought my horse would finish a little better, but he did have three weeks off.
“He needed the time off and I agree with why Dave (trainer David Lemon) did that, because he had some tough racing and he’s got a lot more to come.”
Daylon Magician, a son of Kadabra, now boasts career earnings of C$550,777. He has selected post two for the final.
In the second elimination, David Miller guided Manofmanymissions to a 1:54 score.
New Image Media photos
Manofmanymissions scored in 1:54 for David Miller.
The son of Yankee Glide was in no hurry in the beginning as Whiskey Tax (Randy Waples) quickly established command and led by the opening panel in :27.3. Highland Thunder (Chris Christoforou) was sitting second with Chapter Seven (Mike Lachance) in third.
Manofmanymissions couldn’t find a seat along the rail so David Miller sent the 1-2 favorite to the front from the backfield and passed the half in :57. Chapter Seven began the first-over attack from fourth as Manofmanymissions marched past three-quarters in 1:25.2.
In deep stretch, the battle was for second as Manofmanymissions was on a comfortable hand drive to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Dejarmbro (Brian Sears) exploded from the backfield to finish second over Whiskey Tax. Imperial Count (Scott Zeron) and Chapter Seven finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to advance to the final.
Fresh off winning the $500,000 Colonial Trot, Miller assured that race set Manofmanymissions up well for this event.
“He raced very well that day at Chester,” Miller said. “He came first-over and put away Broad Bahn and Pastor Stephen and he just raced tremendous.”
After being unable to find a hole in the early going, Miller had no choice but to brush his charge to command.
“I tried to float him off the gate and try and get a seat, but that didn’t work out,” he said. “When everything settled, I put him on the lead and he had no issues getting there. My horse is very game and very willing; he just wants to do it.”
Manofmanymissions, a six time winner from eight starts this year, lifted his lifetime earnings to C$924,900 for trainer Erv Miller and owners Manofmanymissions Stable, Mystical Marker Farms LLC and Biasuzzi Stable. He paid $4.80 for the win.
The C$1 million Canadian Trotting Classic final will line up as follows on September 17: 1. Whiskey Tax, 2. Daylon Magician, 3. Manofmanymissions, 4. Broad Bahn, 5. Dejarmbro, 6. Sim Brown, 7. Whatever It Takes, 8. Blue Porsche, 9. Chapter Seven and 10. Imperial Count. AE: VC Chocoholic.