There’s something eerie concerning a final winning time of
1:57.1 here at Monticello Raceway especially when it comes to 3 year old
trotting geldings.
Three 3-year old geldings co-hold that track record standard
and one, Ex King, again equaled that time yesterday (Oct. 16) when Dan Daley
hustled him to his second Mighty M victory in the exact time of 1:57.1.
That record first occurred on June 25, 2007 when Cat
Manzi won with Green Day in that identical time. Then last year, on August 17,
2012, Jimmy Morrill, Jr. guided Gaelic And Garlic home first in 1:57.1 to
share the record. Then, Ex King and driver Dan Daley, matched the standard this
year on September 17 when they won a leg of the Excelsior Stakes
again in the identical time. Now yesterday (October 16) Ex King and
Daley did it again.
Obviously a coincidence but it seems strange that the
winning time of 1:57.1 is so popular with 3 year old trotting geldings at the
Mighty M.
On Wednesday afternoon Ex King was the odds-on
favorite in the trotting feature here and Daley sent the altered son of
Excalibur to the lead. They trotted by the first quarter in :29
and they had command at the halfway point in :59.1.
Up the backside Ex King began to open daylight on Famous
Dude (Zeke Parker) who settled in the two hole early on. At the three quarters
the lead was two lengths which was opened to three coming off the final turn
and Ex King coasted home a four-length winner over Famous Dude.
When Daley was contacted in the paddock after the race
he said that Ex King was heading to the Harrisburg sale.
“The owners entered him (Ex King) in the Harrisburg
Sale and this is his final start before he is to be sold at auction,”
Daley said. “ I wanted to send him to the sale looking as good as
possible and now his two 1:57 (.1) wins on a half mile track should help
elevate his price.”
Trained by Daley for the Bay Pond Racing Stable of Paoli,
Pa., Ex King paid $3.30 for win.
