The purple and white colors of brothers Darryl (51), Doug (47), and Dennis (54) Lyons hang proudly on the east end of that Maywood Park barn, where each morning the close-knit siblings jog, train and care for their eight horses. The pride of their stable is Rosedale Mascot, a three-year-old colt by Oxford Fella who brought the Lyons one of their biggest thrills in harness racing just a little over a week ago.
"This horse was right on the bubble for drawing into the final of the Langley when he finished fourth in the elimination, but he drew into the consolation instead," Darryl said. "Winning the consolation on Super Night was a great thrill for us, but it was even more of a thrill for our partner and owner Joe Caponetto, who is 94-years-old. He made it all happen, and realized his dream in the process."
The Lyons boys had captured the 1982 edition of the Orange & Blue with their Whatawoody, and then ten years later won the '92 Langely consolation with Livin Right. Their co-owner Joe Caponetto of Oak Park and his grandson Joe Reynolds own Rosedale Mascot in partnership with Doug, while brother Dennis is the office trainer. Caponetto has been involved in harness racing for over 50 years as an owner and breeder. One of his best horses was the invitational trotter Newport Mascot, who competed on the Chicago circuit in the mid-1960s.
"Joe bred and raised Rosedale Mascot from a baby," Darryl recalled. "In memory of Newport Mascot, he had been saving the name "Mascot" for what he considered to be a good horse. Because of his (Joe's) age, he thought that this colt might be his last horse, and when I told him that I thought the horse was going to be pretty nice, he decided to add "Mascot" to his name. He names all of his horses Rosedale 'something.'"
Rosedale Mascot's Super Night victory was his third of the year in ten starts, and upped his lifetime and seasonal earnings to $22,879. The burly built pacer also has a second and a pair of thirds to his credit. He is known as "Ox" throughout the Maywood Park backstretch due to his sturdy build and solid confirmation.
