Daley youngsters shine at Magical Acres

Noel Daley led the way among trainers as Magical Acres hosted its first round of harness racing qualifiers for 2-year-olds on Wednesday (June 12), picking up four wins in the 10 events for the freshmen, including a 1:58 score with male pacer P A Piper (Papi Rob Hanover-Quebec Blue Chip).

Daley also saw female pacer Champagne Room (Papi Rob Hanover-See You At Peelers), male trotter Security Code S (Chapter Seven-Queen Paige), and female trotter Made Of Gold notch victories.

Linda Toscano and Tom Cancelliere both had two wins, with Toscano’s male pacer Lou’sbodaciousboy (Sweet Lou-Bodacious) posting the day’s fastest mile, 1:55.1.

P A Piper won with Andy McCarthy in the sulky. He was purchased for $175,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Patricia Stable, L.A. Express Stable, Sjoblom Racing, and Michael Dolan. He was bred by Mahantongo Farms. He is Quebec Blue Chip’s first foal. His family includes Grand Circuit winner Nvestment Bluechip.

Champagne Room, purchased for $310,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, won in 1:58.3 with McCarthy. See You At Peelers is the grandam of 2023 Dan Patch Award winning filly Geocentric and the extended family includes 2023 She’s A Great Lady winner Its A Love Thing. Geocentric and Its A Love Thing are among the finalists in Saturday’s Fan Hanover Stakes.

Diamond Creek Farm bred Champagne Room, who is owned by Patricia Stable, L A Express & Sjoblom Inc., and Michael Dolan.

“I’ve liked those two Papi Robs all along,” Daley said. “(P A Piper) wasn’t perfect today, but he won it. Champagne Room has always been nice, everything about her. She’s very classy. We’ll see if she’s the best one. There are other ones out there going (1):54 already, so we’ll see when we get down to those numbers.”

Security Code S, who won in 2:02 with Todd McCarthy in the sulky, is from the family of 2009 Horse of the Year Muscle Hill and his extended family includes 2020 Trotter of the Year Gimpanzee. His extended family also includes Blown Call, a 2-year-old colt who won a qualifier at Gaitway Farm on Monday for trainer Ron Burke.

Purchased for $100,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Security Code S is owned by Patricia Stable, Sjoblom Racing, L.A. Express Stable, and Big Daddy Stable. The son of Chapter Seven-Queen Paige was bred by Lina Alm. He is Queen Paige’s first foal.

Made Of Gold, a daughter of Muscle Hill out of the French-bred mare Golden Girl, won in 2:03.3, also with Todd McCarthy. Bred by Jean Pierre Barjon, she was purchased for $200,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Winning Key Inc.

“It was pretty much what I expected with most of them,” said Daley, who had nine starters in Wednesday’s rookie qualifiers. “Everything was all right. We’ll have to make a few changes on a couple of them. It’s always good when you get in with other horses, even if it’s only one or two. You get a bit more of a guide to them when they’ve got to go quick.

“Most of these will miss next week and come the last week (of qualifiers). We’ve got some others for next week. I’ve got a bunch I’d like to at least get qualified here once in the last week, the ones that aren’t quite ready, just to have their first experience here. It’s easier for us if we can get them done at least the first time here.”

Toscano-trained Lou’sbodaciousboy got Wednesday’s festivities started with his 1:55.1 win with Scott Zeron in the bike. He was bred by owners Conrad Zurich and Hauser Bros Rcng Ent. His family includes Grand Circuit winner Malicious.

Also winning for Toscano was female pacer Odds On You (Papi Rob Hanover-Miss You N), who scored in 1:58 with Zeron. The filly was bred by Carl Howard and Bottom Line Racing and is owned by Howard and Odds On Racing. She is Miss You N’s first foal.

Cancelliere picked up his two wins with male pacers Pineapple Crunch (Captain Crunch-Pineapple Hanover) and In The Moonlight (Always B Miki-Lasting Love).

Pineapple Crunch, bred and owned by John Cancelliere, won in 1:58 with Andy McCarthy driving. His family includes stakes winners Panther Hanover, Passmaster Hanover, and Platinum Hanover.

In The Moonlight, also bred and owned by John Cancelliere, won in 2:02 with Andy McCarthy. He is out of a family that includes Hall of Fame trotter Continentalvictory.

Completing the list of 2-year-old winners on Wednesday were female trotter Shonda (Chapter Seven-Star Hanover) and male trotter For Me And You (Propulsion-For A Dancer).

Shonda was driven to victory in 2:01 by trainer Trond Smedshammer. Purchased for $150,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale, the filly is owned by Purple Haze Stables. She is a half-sister to Grand Circuit winner Superstar Hanover, with a family that includes 2016 Trotter of the Year Marion Marauder, 2021 Yonkers Trot winner Johan Palema and 2022 Wellwood Memorial champ Winner’s Bet.

For Me And You, bred and owned by Bluestone Farms, won in 2:02 for driver Zeron and trainer Per Engblom. His family includes Grand Circuit winner Fluttering Wings and millionaire Archangel.

Magical Acres will host qualifiers for 2-year-olds on two more occasions, June 19 and June 26.

To replay Wednesday’s action courtesy of The First Mile, presented by onGait, visit the 412 Communications YouTube page.

For complete qualifier results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA