Captain Optimistic left little doubt that he is ready for top-level competition as he won his four-year-old debut on Sunday, May 17 at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 1:48.1, equalling the track record for pacing horses of his age.
There was plenty of speed off the gate in this $27,397 Open Handicap Pace. Scott Zeron, guiding favoured Maximus Miki from the outside post seven, tucked in mid-pack from outside of the early leavers. Jason Bartlett (at his fifth track in four states in five days), starting just inside him with Captain Optimistic, was three-deep early and eyed a three-hole tuck, but he called an audible and got his pacer to go on and take command around Control Rocks (Simon Allard) shortly after a :26.3 initial panel.
Captain Optimistic, the clear second wagering choice, reached the half in :54.2, and then Bartlett hit the go button with his pacer, forcing Maximus Miki to pace a hard third quarter uncovered. The "Captain" extended away by three lengths at the 1:20.4 three-quarters. Nancy Takter had the son of Captaintreacherous-Cinamony honed to a fine edge, and though Maximus Miki went on to beat Control Rocks for second, he still came up 1-3/4 lengths short of the winner, who is owned by the Captain Optimistic Syndicate. Captain Optimistic is now 13-for-32 lifetime and has earned $1,587,422. He paid $4.80 to win.
The 1:48.1 Philly record for four-year-old pacing horses was first established almost 16 years ago in a Ben Franklin Pace elimination by a horse who would go on to win the final: Vintage Master, who was trained by Jimmy Takter, Nancy’s father.
Joe Columbo sent out three winners on the 14-race card, teaming up with Mike Cole to score with Wager On Me ($7.20), Market Based ($4) and Do Better ($7.60), who closed from seventh for an open-length win. Columbo now has 61 wins on the year from 658 starts. He is tied for third in the Philly standings with nine tallies, five back of leader Joe Bongiorno.
The fast-class conditioned sub-feature, carrying a $17,808 purse, was won by the five-year-old Sweet Lou-Riley Character gelding Solid Character ($5.40). He paced a :54.4 back half and posted a 1:50.2 victory, his third in his last five starts. Bongiorno handled the sulky assignment behind the Ron Burke trainee, who is now four-for-11 this season, for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The top event for developing horses was a $18,493 conditioned pace, in which a pair of 4-5 shots sat one-two around the racetrack the entire race. In the stretch, it was pocket-sitter Heaven Needs Me ($3.80) who got the 1:51.3 victory, pacing his own last split in :27.2 to catch the slightly favoured pacesetter Pack A Punch (George Napolitano Jr.). Simon Allard drove the four-year-old gelded son of Capt Midnight-Heavenly Bet, who ran his seasonal tally to three-for-five for trainer-owner Chelsey Faurot.
Allard had three victories on the day. Bongiorno and Andy Miller had sulky doubles.
Racing at Harrah’s Philadelphia returns on “Trottin’ Thursday” with a 12:25 p.m. card, with the usual gatherings of developing and fast-class performers slotted for competition. There will also be a carryover going into the fifth-race Pick 5 wager.
Much of the racing world will have its eyes on Philly the afternoon before, though – for that is when the Super Sunday card will be drawn. The star-studded program will feature three $100,000 USD Invitationals for free-for-allers – the Maxie Lee Memorial Trot, the Betsy Ross Pace for distaffs and the Joseph Auger Memorial Pace. Those races will be complemented by third-round prelim action for sophomore pacing males in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and Pennsylvania Stallion Series ranks.
(With files from PHHA/Pocono)