“The horse has got a lot of pressure on him, but that’s OK; that’s good pressure. I feel none. Myron Bell and I always say that pressure is being homeless. This is good pressure. This is the kind of pressure you dream about."

There is little doubt the bar is set high for Captaintreacherous this season. When you are the first two-year-old to receive U.S. Pacer of the Year in 25 years, there is little way around it.

Trainer Tony Alagna, though, is not looking for a way around.

“I’m very excited,” said Alagna, who saw three-year-old Captaintreacherous and driver Tim Tetrick go a 1:53.3 training mile Saturday at Meadowlands Racetrack. “It’s going to be what it’s going to be. We just have to do the right things, like we did last year. If we do what’s right by the horse he’ll pay us off in the long run.”

Captaintreacherous, who last season became the first two-year-old to win with three sub-1:50 miles, including the Metro Pace and Woodrow Wilson, is the horse many predict will be forecast as the favourite in the 2013 Trot North America Cup Spring Book.

On Saturday, Captaintreacherous trained with stablemate Wake Up Peter at the Big M. The mile was part of a busy morning for Alagna, who also saw Kentucky Futurity winner My MVP and four-year-old pacers Major Bombay and Mel Mara in qualifier action. Major Bombay, who won in 1:53, and Mel Mara faced a group that included Hurrikane Kingcole, Dynamic Youth and Sweet Lou.

“Both (Captaintreacherous and Wake Up Peter) were very good,” Alagna said. “I’ve been happy with them all winter and they went up there the first time training and didn’t disappoint.”

Alagna expects Captaintreacherous to qualify twice before his first start. His first qualifier could be this weekend at the Meadowlands; otherwise it will be May 4.

“After he qualifies we’ll decide what we’re going to do for his first start,” Alagna said. “We haven’t etched anything in stone. He came out of (training) very good. He dove right into his feed tub when he got back here Saturday afternoon. He was very sharp (Monday) morning; he jogged three miles, bucking and playing.”

Last season, Captaintreacherous won eight of 10 races and earned $918,253 as he became the first two-year-old to receive U.S Pacer of the Year since Camtastic in 1987. His sire, Somebeachsomewhere shared in O'Brien Horse of the Year honours at age two with Tell All.

This season, he will try to join his father, Somebeachsomewhere, on the list of divisional pacing champs at ages two and three and become the first to receive U.S Pacer of the Year honours at ages two and three since Niatross in 1979-80.

Captaintreacherous’ mom, Worldy Treasure, was a stakes-winner at the age of two and a full sister to millionaire pacing mare Worldy Beauty. Worldly Treasure’s family also includes Romeo Hanover, who was divisional champ stateside at ages two and three in the mid-1960s, among a number of other stakes-winners.

“A lot of horses are fast two-year-olds, but you’ve got to have the pedigree and class to be a great three-year-old,” Alagna said. “This horse’s maternal pedigree, and being by Somebeachsomewhere, he’s got a license to be that kind of horse.”

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.