by Greg Gangle, WEG media

Toronto, ON — Fashion Delight, one of last year’s elite 2-year-old pacing colts, will make his sophomore qualifying debut on Thursday (May 5) at the Meadowlands according to trainer Jim Campbell.

The son of Bettor’s Delight-B Js Sunshine conducted a 5-3-3 record from 11 starts last year as a freshman.

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Fashion Delight banked $510,555 in 2010 and scored in 1:51 in the $473,000 Woodrow Wilson.

“The plan is to qualify him this Thursday at The Meadowlands,” Campbell said. “He’s come back in great form and we’ll likely qualify him twice and go from there.”

The $35,000 yearling purchase from the Harrisburg Yearling Sale captured the $473,000 Woodrow Wilson in 1:51 before ending his season with $510,555 in earnings.

“That race impressed me the most (Woodrow Wilson final). With a sixteenth of racetrack left, I thought he might get beat but he really dug in. He showed me his class and talent that night.”

Owned by Fashion Farms of New Hope, Pa., Fashion Delight was much in the shadow of Big Jim last year. He finished third to the superstar pacer in both the $600,000 Breeders Crown and $709,000 Governor’s Cup.

“Other than Big Jim, I think there were about seven or eight of last year’s top 2-year-olds that weren’t far off each other,” Campbell said. “Plus, you never know what’s going to come out of the woodwork this year. In today’s game, they can all go the speed which is required; I think it comes down to who’s peaking at the right time.”

Campbell also noted that the Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs will likely be Fashion Delight’s first pari-mutuel start this season.