Pebble Beach professional for Daley

Chesterfield, NJ — Harness racing trainer Noel Daley took advantage of the final week of 2-year-old qualifiers at his stable base of Magical Acres to send out 13 rookies on Wednesday, with 11 horses in the group making their debuts.

It was one of the returnees, though, that caught the most eyes.

Pebble Beach, a son of Downbytheseaside out of Santa Rosa, won his qualifier in 1:54.4, with a :54.4 second half, for driver Todd McCarthy. A week ago, he won in 1:59.1 at Magical Acres.

The colt was purchased for $85,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is owned by Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres, and L.A. Express Stable. Pebble Beach’s second dam is Hall of Fame broodmare Art’s Vintage, who produced millionaires Vintage Master and Great Vintage.

Daley had three more winners, all in their first starts.

Male trotter Stamped By Lindy (Muscle Hill-Born Lindy) won in 1:59.2, the day’s fastest trot for the 2-year-olds, for breeder-owner Lindy Farms Of Connecticut.

Female trotters Danznqueen Hanover (Donato Hanover-Dancing For Money), a full sister to O’Brien Award winner Dip Me Hanover, won in 2:00.3 for breeder-owner Hanover Shoe Farms and Palermo Hanover (Father Patrick-Personal Style) won in 2:04.3. Palermo Hanover is owned by Daley, Lenny Zelin, and The Gandolfo Stables. She was purchased for $45,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale.

“My best one was very good,” Daley said, referring to Pebble Beach. “A lot of the others were having first qualifiers, and they all got around, none of them made a break, which is really good. Some were surprisingly good, some were OK.

“If this wasn’t the last week here, most of them would have waited a week or two. I just wanted to take advantage of it. But a few of them are still a few weeks away from where they really need to be. But in the whole scheme of things, the real good one was good.”

Among Wednesday’s other winners were female trotter Pauline Hanover (Father Patrick-Passageway) and female pacer Treacherous Dragon (Captaintreacherous-My Little Dragon).

Pauline Hanover, a half-sister to Grand Circuit stakes winner Don’t Let’em, debuted for trainer Carter Pinske while Treacherous Dragon, a three-quarter sister to O’Brien Award winner Stay Hungry, debuted for trainer Brett Pelling. She was purchased for $260,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

For Wednesday’s complete Magical Acres charts, click here.

To watch replays of the first eight qualifiers, click here.

by Ken Weingartner, for the US Trotting Association