Dan Daley notches trainer-driver triple

Up until the Meadowlands opened in the mid 1970’s, the majority of harness racing horses were driven by their trainers. Then came the catch-drivers era when journeymen would mainly drive horses for the trainers. The days of the trainer-driver era slowly faded away.

Until Sunday afternoon (May 5) at Saratoga Raceway where trainer-driver Dan Daley put on a show despite racing over a rain-soaked sloppy track, driving three of his stables’ horses to victory. Daley’s wife, Ann-Mari Daley, is also the principal owner of all three horses.

The Daley triple began in very first race, a trot, with Fringed (Crazy Wow, $2.70) and Daley going wire-to-wire and winning by a half a length in 1:59.4.

Fringed is co-owned by Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley, Oleg Ivutin and Bain Racing Stable.

FRINGED REPLAY

Then in the 7^th race trot, Daley scored again, this time with the three-year-old trotting filly, Erin (E L Titan, $3.00), also going wire-to-wire and winning in a romp by five and one-quarter lengths in 1:59.4.

She is co-owned by Ann-Mari Daley, Donald Brenner and Jared Daley.

ERIN REPLAY

The trainer-driver triple was completed in the 12^th race trot, once again leading from start to finish, was Dan Daley and Ramborain (Crazy Wow, $3.00), winning by one and one-half lengths in 2:01.3. The three-year-old gelding is co-owned by Ann-Mari Daley, JIRI, LLC, Todd Van Alstyne and Margaret Waterbury.

RAMBORAIN REPLAY

In the 6^th race $15,000 Open Handicap Trot feature, driver Wally Hennessey, fresh from spending the winter training babies in south Florida, was able to wire the field with Comeonover Hanover (Sebastian K S) in 1:57.3 over the sloppy track, winning by a scant nose over Tantra Blue Chip in 1:57.3.

Those two horses, Comeonover Hanover and Tantra Blue Chip (Billy Dobson) would battle for the lead from before the half mile marker.

With Comeonover Hanover on the inside with a comfortable lead, Tantra Blue Chip was parked first-over, but unable to gain any ground until coming down the stretch. Then Tantra Blue Chip closed with a flurry but still came up a nose shy to Comeonover Hanover. Powerscourt (Michael McGivern) was third.

COMEONOVER HANOVER REPLAY

It was the second win this year for Comeonover Hanover. The six-year-old gelding is trained by Andy Gardner for owner Percy Elkins and paid $6.80 to win.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink