Daley says Royal Shyster ready for Crown

Vernon Downs horseman Dan Daley knows all about success at the Breeders Crown. He captured the 2-year-old colt trot with champion Master Lavec in 1999 and finished second a year later with CJ’s Secret. Daley held another strong hand five years later with the super fast RC Royalty, but blames himself for the colt’s fifth place finish at the Meadowlands.

 

“I choked him way down and let a horse go that I shouldn’t have,” said Daley. “But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

 

Daley will seek redemption at Woodbine Racetrack with the best colt in RC Royalty’s 17-foal first crop, Royal Shyster. The New York Sire Stakes champion has nine wins and three seconds from 12 freshman starts with earnings of more than $225,000, not bad for a colt Daley plucked out of the 2010 Morrisville College Yearling Sale for a mere $14,000.

 

“His dad was a really good horse, but he’s actually more manageable and he’s going to go on and be a top, top horse,” said Daley. “There aren’t too many 2 year olds that can just trot a quarter in :27 at the drop of a hat. He’s a good horse and wants to be a great horse.”

 

Royal Shyster scored the easiest of wins in the $175,000 New York Sire Stakes Final at Saratoga on October 1, stretching his winning streak to seven. The streak came to a surprising halt last Friday with a runner-up finish in a division of the Simpson Stakes at Vernon Downs. Daley said the colt emerged from the race a little sick, but will be ready for the Breeders Crown.

 

“I don’t usually go to the Breeders Crown unless I’ve got a legitimate shot and I think he does so we’re going to race him.”