Meadowlands: Daley's seven looking to make the grade in Saturday's Kindergarten

There will be $500,000 up for grabs on Saturday night at the Meadowlands divided equally among four divisions of the Kindergarten Series finals. The contest for 2-year-olds of both gaits and sexes could prove a springboard towards the Fall Final Four for a few of the entrants coming out of the Noel Daley stable. Daley has seven freshmen set for action, with perhaps his strongest contingent represented in the finals on the pacing side.

"I think my two pacing colts are in good spots," said Daley, referring to Signal Caller and Toast Of The Town, his pair in the $125,000 final for 2-year-old colts and geldings carded as race nine on the 14-race program which starts at 6:20 P.M. (EDT).

Signal Caller, a son of Captaintreacherous, drew post two, and he's a colt that Daley has liked from the start. "He could be one of the fastest horses I've ever sat behind," said Daley of the colt that took a 1:48 4/5 record at The Red Mile this year, yet has a record that is inconclusive.

"He's got a mind of his own," said Daley, suggesting Signal Caller is still a bit of a work in progress for him and his team as he completes his 2-year-old campaign.

The erratic nature of Signal Caller's past performances was on full display a week after taking his record in the Bluegrass stakes at The Red Mile. He finished ninth, beaten some 44 lengths the following start.

"He just stopped and decided his race was over," said Daley of the race where Signal Caler made a bold move past the half and cleared the lead on the turn at The Red Mile, only to basically pull himself up in the homestretch.

Daley, not wishing to repeat that effort, provided clear instructions with Signal Caller for the October 24 Kindergarten leg at the Meadowlands. "I told Niko (Karna) to just race him from the back, and he was strong finishing," said Daley, who is hopeful that Signal Caller can carve out a trip to his liking on Saturday.

Toast Of The Town was very competitive this year on the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes circuit and has since won and finished second in a pair of Kindergarten legs. "He's been more consistent and is versatile," said Daley of the Sweet Lou-sired colt that landed post five in the field of eight.

Both Signal Caller and Toast Of The Town are eligible for the Governor's Cup.

Perhaps standing in the way for Daley in this division is Bookie J, a gelding from the first crop of Perfect Sting that has already captured the New Jersey Classic this year over the Meadowlands surface and enters the final following a confidence-building 1:51 1/5 score in the October 24 final preliminary leg. Bookie J drew post four.

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Returning to New Jersey following a disappointing finish in the Breeders Crown for Daley is On Heir. A daughter of Captaintreacherous, On Heir drew post four in the 10-filly Kindergarten final programmed as race 11.

"There really wasn't much for Andy (driver McCarthy) to do. He was sitting behind a pair of longshots that weren't going to take him into the race, so he pulled her first-over and that didn't work out," said Daley.

On Heir captured a Kindergarten leg at the Meadowlands on September 12 and then followed that start up with a pair of solid second-place finishes in Grand Circuit racing at The Red Mile. Daley hopes that On Heir races well in Saturday's final with an eye on the Three Diamonds next.

"I won the Three Diamonds with her mother (Delightful Dragon)," said Daley, hoping for lightning to strike twice. Delightful Dragon won the 2013 Three Diamonds and earned over $800K through her career. On Heir is her third foal and already her richest.

On Heir faces another filly with strong connections to the Three Diamonds in Darlin's Angel (post five), a daughter of Captraintreacherous out of Darlin's Delight, the 2005 winner of the Three Diamonds that has followed up a $2.9 million career on the racetrack with a solid broodmare career. Darlin's Angel is her 11th foal, and she's been exceptional in her first-year racing, having won four of her five starts to date, including a powerhouse 1:51 mile taken in the Kindergarten on October 24.

Daley is well-represented in the $125,000 Kindergarten final for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters (race eight), sending out three of the 10 and with the lightly raced Ultimate Betrayal (post four) likely pointing in the right direction.

"That's been Niko's (Karna) horse," said Daley in deference to the driver and co-owner of the Calgary Games-sired colt who's been an integral part of the Daley operation for many years. "Niko trained him in a set of four before his last race and finished fourth in the group. He came off the track and said Ultimate Betrayal was ready to win," said Daley.

Karna was spot-on as Ultimate Betrayal trotted powerfully to a 1:54 victory on October 24, setting himself up nicely for Saturday's final.

"I'm hoping he'll be fine by Saturday," said Daley of Ultimate Betrayal. "We've been treating him for some sickness."

Both Twin B Seven Sins (post one) and Highball Hanover (post nine) have raced 10 times this year, with Daley expecting both to come back stronger as 3-year-olds. Highball Hanover has more Grand Circuit experience, having finished second in a pair of races at The Red Mile this fall. Twin B Seven Sins turned back eventual Breeders Crown champion Spencer Hanover in a Big Apple elimination at Vernon on October 24 in his career-best 1:55 4/5 clocking.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt has a pair in this Kindergarten division that have shown high speed and promise this year. Mr Penner (post three) has made costly breaks, but when on his game has shown that he can trot with the best in this division. Magic Punk (post six) won an elimination for the Wellwood Memorial at Woodbine Mohawk Park this summer and finished second in that final, as well as the Peter Haughton Memorial final.

Daley's chances are more remote in the $125,000 Kindergarten for 2-year-old trotting fillies (race six) with Duicinea Hanover.

"We clocked her mile in 1:52 after the break," said Daley of Duicinea Hanover's performance on October 24 in a Kindergarten leg. Of course, the break in stride did happen and that's been a concern as the filly has inherited both the speed and disposition of her sire Greenshoe.