Stakes Recaps

By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

East Rutherford, NJ – Captain Optimistic and driver Dexter Dunn found room to the outside after coming out of the last turn and battled past Madden Oaks and Papis Pistol in deep stretch to win Saturday’s $227,350 Grade 2 Cane Pace in 1:48.1 at The Meadowlands.

The margin of victory was a half-length over Madden Oaks, with Papis Pistol another three-quarter-lengths back.

Papis Pistol and driver David Miller led the field to the opening quarter in :26.1 after holding off Captain Optimistic on the first turn, with Captain Optimistic settling for the two-hole ahead of Madden Oaks in third. The order remained the same at the half, reached in :53.4, but Madden Oaks and driver Braxten Boyd went on the attack on the last turn.

Madden Oaks was a parked-out first at three-quarters in 1:21, with Captain Optimistic pinned in fourth on the inside, but Captain Optimistic was able to angle out in the stretch and march home in a race-best :26.4 on the way to his third win in seven races this season for trainer Nancy Takter.

“I was happy to take the two-hole behind Dave’s horse; he’s a good horse to follow,” Dunn said. “Going to the last turn Dave’s horse wasn’t getting around there that good and Braxten came with a bit of a charge, but we found a good split there and he kicked home super. I had plenty of pace, he was traveling good at the time, I was just hoping for some clear air.”

The Cane Pace is the second jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown. Twisted Destiny, the winner of the first jewel, the MGM Grand Messenger Pace, was not among the six horses in the Cane.

“At the three-quarters I wasn’t too happy. I was like, oh, gosh, here we go again, another bad trip for this poor colt,” Takter said. “Because he is actually a really nice colt and he deserves to have a classic win. So, I’m happy that he got a Triple Crown win for himself.”

Captain Optimistic is owned by 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz, and Caviart Farms. The colt, a son of Captaintreacherous-Cinamony, was bred by Fair Winds Farm. He has won 10 of 18 career races and earned $699,728.

“This is the only 3-year-old pacing colt that I own, so it’s unique,” Katz said. “I’m quite fortunate to have him. Owners can be prejudiced, and I am as much as anyone else, but he deserved this. He’s demonstrated he’s absolutely one of the best 3-year-old pacing colts in the country. Today was his day. He did have an easy trip, but he demonstrated what a great colt he is today.”

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Captain Optimistic paid $3.60 to win.

Legendary Hanover kicked off a huge day of stakes action on Saturday (Aug. 3) at the Meadowlands with a track- and stakes-record 1:46.2 performance in the $248,000 Cane Pace, for sophomores. James MacDonald guided the son of Huntsville from the Well Said mare Lillian Hanover to his second straight stakes winning performance, following a blowout 2-1/2-length victory in the Meadowlands Pace.

With just five horses in the field, MacDonald settled Legendary Hanover in third in the early stages as Captain Luke and Scott Zeron took control in the first turn ahead of Captains Quarters with Jody Jamieson. Following the :26.2 first quarter fraction, Jamieson sent Captains Quarters to regain command. MacDonald didn’t waste time with the Anthony Beaton-trained Legendary Hanover and quickly moved to challenge for the lead. Captains Quarters didn’t yield easily, but Legendary Hanover cleared before reaching the half in :52.4.

Despite little in the way of challenges, MacDonald didn’t ease up on Legendary Hanover, who paced a :26.3 third quarter to hit that marker in 1:19.2 with only Captains Quarters close enough to threaten in the homestretch. Those threats was short-lived as MacDonald called on Legendary Hanover, intent on posting a quick clocking. The colt responded in kind with a blistering :27 final fraction, coming just a fifth short of Confederate’s world record mark for 3-year-olds of 1:46.1, taken last year at Lexington’s Red Mile.

Mirage Hanover rallied strongly for Tim Tetrick to gain second late over Captains Quarters as Captain Luke and Remember Alamo rounded out the order of finish.

Sent off as the 1-5 favorite, Legendary Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, returned $2.40 to win.

Owned by Eric Good, West Wins Stable and Mark Dumain, Legendary Hanover was a winner for the fifth time in eight starts this year, capturing a leg of pacing’s Triple Crown in the process.

“He’s a special horse,” said MacDonald in the winner’s circle. “He has a never-ending set of lungs.”

Confederate vaults to victory in Cane Pace

Confederate and driver Tim Tetrick exploded in the homestretch and blew away 10 rivals to capture the $315,700 Cane Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, in dynamic fashion, equaling the 1:47.3 stakes record in the process on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 5) at the Meadowlands.

Confederate, returning to the scene of his Meadowlands Pace victory for the first time since the July 15 conquest, was a $35,000 supplemental entry to the Cane. Driver Tim Tetrick drove him with superb confidence, sitting back in the early stages as El Ray and driver Scott Zeron motored to the front at the outset and set a :26.3 opening fraction, putting Christchurch into the pocket briefly as Ammo and driver David Miller moved to gain control after the quarter. As soon as Ammo had cleared the front, Yannick Gingras wheeled Christchurch with power to the front well before the :54.1 half-mile marker.

Confederate sat comfortably off the opening half but was on the move shortly thereafter, flushing the cover of Seven Colors and Dexter Dunn and following them intently. Dunn had Seven Colors moving with purpose on the final turn, and he reached even terms with leader Christchurch as the field hit three-quarters in 1:21.2. In the stretch, a game Seven Colors wore down the pacesetter while, to his flank on the outside, Confederate picked up momentum and shifted into an entirely different gear. With Tetrick virtually still in the sulky, Confederate kicked away from the field in an individually-timed :25.4 final quarter. Seven Colors finished second, four lengths behind, with Christchurch holding onto the third spot. Hungry Angel Boy followed the winner on the final turn but couldn’t pace as strongly in the stretch, yet barely held Voukefalas at bay in the battle for fourth.

Beach Glass glamorous in Cane score

A swift backside brush landed 2-5 favorite Beach Glass on the point, from which he held his ground and posted a 1:49 victory to win the $275,000 Cane Pace at the Meadowlands on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 6).

Mad Max Hanover, the second choice at 3-2, pushed off the wings but landed third as Night Hawk powered past Fourever Boy to the lead after a :27.2 first quarter. As the speed settled, Mad Max Hanover flung out of third to take over the lead just before Beach Glass pushed along the rim to then snag the lead into a :54.3 half.

Beach Glass had his foes at his whim while Fourever Boy attacked first-over with Mad Max Hanover waiting for room by three-quarters in 1:22. He then spun for home with Fourever Boy retreating and Mad Max Hanover laying siege to the pacesetter into the final eighth. But Beach Glass stayed game to the pylons to keep Mad Max Hanover at bay by a half length. Night Hawk slipped through a seam inside to finish third, and Early Action closed for fourth.

“I really didn’t want to have him on the front, I was trying to get away fourth or fifth,” said driver Yannick Gingras after the race. “But a :27.2 first quarter ... it was going to be a :55-and-change half probably, so I had to make a move and make things happen. He’s all class, a great horse and the class did it today.”

Conditioned by Brent MacGrath, Beach Glass collected his fifth win from eight starts this season and his eighth from 13 overall. The son of Somebeachsomewhere has now banked $783,020 for owner-breeder Schooner II Stable.

“I’m very happy, but he does need a week off,” said MacGrath after Beach Glass scored his fourth win from five straight weeks. “I thought about going to the Milstein, but I’m not going to — he needs a week. I want to go to Pocono with him [for the Max Hempt]. Then, with a few weeks off, he’ll go to the Simcoe and after that to Lexington.”

Beach Glass paid $2.80 to win.

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