May 19, 2013
Most horses need a start after a long layoff before they can find their top form. Then again, most horses aren’t Captaintreacherous, who hit the ground pacing in his first start of the year on Sunday night at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, dominating his division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings.
Captaintreacherous was racing for the first time since a heartbreaking loss at Woodbine in the Breeders Crown in October capped a season in which he won 8 of 10 races and earned $918,253 while captivating the harness racing world with his electric talent. His 2013 debut came against a tough field of seven with an outside post, but the 3-year-old colt from the Tony Alagna barn was still made the 1-9 favorite.
The heavy favorite sat fourth early as several horses vied for the lead, which was held at the quarter by Twincreeks Jesse. Driver Tim Tetrick set Captaintreacherous in motion on the front stretch first-over and he was able to clear Twincreeks Jesse at the half. Although the fractions were taxing to that point, Captaintreacherous got no pressure on the back stretch and powered through the lane without any urging to a 3 ½ length victory in 1:49:4, with a closing kick of 26:3. Dedi’s Dragon rallied for second while Twincreeks Jesse faded to third.
Owned by Captaintreacherous Racing of Kentucky, Captaintreacherous now has nine wins in 11 career races, and his lifetime earnings, with the winner’s share of the $62,587 purse, now stand at $949,547.
Captaintreacherous may have been the headliner, but he had to share the spotlight on this night with driver Dave Palone, who won the other three Sire Stakes divisions on the card, and Normandy Invasion, who set a new track record in his Sire Stakes win.
Normandy Invasion, who came in from the Meadows for trainer Brian Brown, left from post position #5 in his split and quickly gunned to the front end. Palone urged Normandy Invasion around the first turn to rebuff a play for the lead from favored Lonewolf Currier. The 3-year-old gelding did the rest, building a huge lead up front and tripping the line in 1:48:4, 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Twilight Bonfire with Bigrisk picking up the show. That winning time bested the previous Pocono mark for 3-year-old geldings on the pace of 1:49:1, which was set by Bet On The Law in October of last year.
Palone also scored front end victories in the other two splits. He and trainer Brown hooked up for a second win with Beach Memories, who bounced back from a break in his last start to win easily in 1:51:2. Palone was also a winner for trainer Chris Ryder aboard Martini Hanover, whose second start of the year produced a 5 ½ length win in 1:49:3.