The countdown to the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup is on, with Trot Insider profiling the horses predicted to be the top contenders for Canadian harness racing's richest prize.
At 11-1, Captain Trevor comes in at #4 in TROT Magazine's 2019 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
From 9 starts as a freshman, Captain Trevor (Captaintreacherous - It Was Fascination) posted a 6-0-1 summary and banked $131,904 for Canadians Marvin Katz and Brad Grant, Brittany Farms LLC and Captain Trevor Racing. Making his first start in August, Captain Trevor impressed immediately with four straight scores at The Red Mile before a third-place finish in the KYSS Final. He rebounded with wins against Grand Circuit types in the International Stallion Stakes and his Breeders Crown elimination before an off-the-board finish in the Breeders Crown Final. Trot Insider caught up with co-owner and trainer Tony Alagna for an update on the speedy sophomore.
Tell us about Captain Trevor, he seemed to be a bit of a late bloomer.
"He came from Harrisburg and was kind of a late developer for us. When he got rolling there at Lexington he really came along well. He finished up the year good going into the Breeders Crown, Breeders Crown Final he was sick like the majority of the horses I raced that night but we put him away and we're hoping for great things this year."
Where did he winter?
"He wintered at Olive Branch with Chris Coyle. Anything that raced late in the year we try to send there because they get a little longer season with the weather he gets there and it's kind of on the way to Florida."
When did you start back with him?
"We started back with him January 15."
Where are you at with him now?
"We trained him last week in 1:56 and then he shipped up to New Jersey."
Any noticeable changes in him from two to three?
"Stronger, more mature, naturally the things you like to see in any horse when you turn them out to bring them back at three. He really looks good."
What will his early schedule look like leading up to the Pepsi North America Cup?
"It just depends. He probably won't qualify until the end of this month. I flew up here [Monday, to N.J.] to train him slow...this will be the first they've trained since they shipped up from Florida last week so I'll train him slow and see where we're at and then we'll put the bikes back on him this weekend, and after I train this weekend I'll have a better gauge on where we're at."
"Probably PA Sire Stakes [to start] and the North America Cup would be his first major stake. Like 'Captain', we prepped in the PA Sire Stakes before heading up to Canada so we got some options going forward."
He's eligible to the Somebeachsomewhere. Is an appearance in that race a wait-and-see type of scenario?
"Yeah, definitely. Moreso a backup plan, because if you're trying to get through the North America Cup, Hempt, Meadowlands Pace...those six weeks are awfully tough and you don't need to add a seventh week so it's basically a backup in case we need something along the way."
What does his tentative schedule look like after the North America Cup?
"He's staked all the way through. Jug, Lexington, Breeders Crown...a full dance card."
At what point last year did you think this horse was North America Cup material?
"We liked him training down. From probably about April on, you could tell he'd really turned the page and it was always very easy for him training down so it never like he did anything wrong but he just never gave you any wow factor but I always said from the get-go, from one of the first days I hooked him because he took to us so easy, that he's either going to love it or hate it but there won't be any in between. When he got behind the gate and figured out what it was all about he got where he really, really liked it.
"And he's another horse where because he's Kentucky-eligible and having dual residency really helped because he was able to go down there on a great racing surface and learn how to race and it made him a much better horse for it."
Was that concentration on the KYSS with Captain Trevor by design with his later start?
"Yeah, it's tough to play catch up. You can't just jump into the third leg of the PA Sires, it's very tough to do. If you're not there for the first one, it's tough to jump on board on the third because you're already points behind. So now if you're going to get points you're going to have to be extremely aggressive, and to do that to a two-year-old that's already behind the 8-ball because you missed a couple of legs, that just sets them up for disaster in my opinion. So if we have something that's dual-eligible and they've got that opportunity to go there, everything just kind of falls into place."
What's his biggest asset/strength?
"I think his biggest asset is that he can do it either way. He's a nice-sized horse, he can get around any size of track. He showed in Lexington he can leave with the best of them, he showed in Lexington he can finish with the best of them. The day that he won in Lexington [in 1:49.2] he wasn't even on the TV screen until down by the wire and here he came flying on the outside to get the win. It just shows you how fast he can close, he's just a very tactical horse and I think horses like him that are useful and that can do it either way can make a lot of money."
Previous North America Cup Spring Book Profiles:
► North America Cup Spring Book - #5
► North America Cup Spring Book - #6
► North America Cup Spring Book - #7
► North America Cup Spring Book - #8
► North America Cup Spring Book - #9
► North America Cup Spring Book - #10