Captaintreacherous – Capt Midnight

Down under breeders looking to take advantage of the incredible success of siring sensation Captaintreacherous should be giving strong consideration to his impeccably bred son, Capt Midnight (Captaintreacherous – It Was Fascination).

In the 2022 season, Captaintreacherous is the leading sire in all of North America on average earnings per starter for all ages with an average at the time of writing of $54,746 per starter along with being the leading juvenile sire on the year.

In Australasia from extremely limited frozen semen crops, this season Captaintreacherous finds himself as the 2nd leading juvenile sire in Australia and 3rd leading juvenile in New Zealand by a small margin, despite having a quarter of the foals compared to the current leader, Art Major.

Capt Midnight stands at the NSW property of Belinda & Luke McCarthy, namely Cobbity Farm.

His fresh and chilled semen is available to down under breeders at a quarter of the price of his own sire, but don’t let the incredible value fool you into thinking that this stallion is anything but the real deal and possibly the best-bred son of Captaintreacherous available down under.

At the time of his retirement, Capt Midnight was the second-richest son of Captaintreacherous. His dam, It Was Fascination (American Ideal), is the only pacing mare in history whose first two foals (Captain Trevor and Capt Midnight) are sub-1:50 record two-year-old’s and the pair have found their way into the stallion ranks serving full books in North America.

When a yearling is sold for $350,000 anywhere in the Harness Racing world, you can be sure it will tick all the boxes in relation to Conformation and Pedigree.

At Harrisburg in 2018 a colt named Capt Midnight found himself in a bidding duel and when the hammer dropped, he was off to join the powerful Tony Alagna barn in New Jersey.

Alagna of course had trained his sire Captaintreacherous to a $3.148 million career, while the dam of this powerful and stunning colt, It Was Fascination, compiled a record of 1:51.2 and $317,222 in prizemoney. Tony Alagna trained her as well.

The fact that the first foal of the dam, Captain Trevor (a full brother to Capt Midnight) was showing some extreme juvenile speed also helped the breeder to his big payday. Captain Trevor in fact won six of his nine starts as a two-year-old and joined that elite group of freshman pacers to take a sub 1:50 record – 1:49.2. Captain Trevor as alluded to earlier is now standing at stud.

Capt Midnight retired to stud duty with a two-season racing resume of 25 starts, eight wins, seven placings and prizemoney of $662,286. He has a two-year-old record of 1:49.4s, a three-year-old record of 1:48.3s and a best time of 1:47.2.

Capt Midnight as a two-year-old

• Capt Midnight was a ready-made two-year-old evidenced by the fact he powered home his last quarter in 25.2 in his debut race at The Meadowlands in July 2019.
• Capt Midnight certainly was the dominant two-year-old in North America for the first half of the 2019 season.
• As a two-year-old Capt Midnight won the $228,100 Nassagaweya Stakes in 1:51 starting from post 11.
• Capt Midnight won the Dream Maker Series at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:49.4s taking a new stakes record in the process.
• Capt Midnight won the Champlain Stakes in 1:50.2s at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
• Capt Midnight won the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile in 1:49.4.
• Capt Midnight won an elimination of the Metro Pace easily by four lengths in 1:51.4s and was third in the $750,000 Metro Pace Final at Woodbine Mohawk Park to Tall Dark Stranger p2, 1:49.1; p3, 1:47.1 ($2,020,195) and Papi Rob Hanover 1:47.1, ($1,019,244).
• Capt Midnight had his last start as a two-year-old in the $789,474 Breeders Crown but was an unlucky fifth (placed 4th after interference) behind Tall Dark Stranger, Papi Rob Hanover and Cattlewash.
• As a two-year-old Capt Midnight was the equal third fastest two-year-old pacer in 2019.

At the conclusion of his two-year-old season, his Australian driver Andrew McCarthy who has driven many champion juvenile pacers proclaimed: “I rank him probably on top of all the 2-year old’s I’ve ever driven. Once you ask him to go, he gives you goose bumps.”

ANDREW MCCARTHY | CAPT MIDNIGHT INTERVIEW

Capt Midnight as a three-year-old

• As a three-year-old Capt Midnight at his very first start paced in 1:49.3 beating Papi Rob Hanover at The Meadowlands.
• Capt Midnight won a $77,500 division of The Somebeachsomewhere in a stakes record equalling time of 1:48.3s.
• Capt Midnight ran second by a head to Cattlewash in the Adios elimination in 1:49.2 (his time) and second to Tall Dark Stranger (Horse of the Year) in the $273,135 Cane Pace in 1:47.4 (his time).
• Capt Midnight ran second by a head to Tall Dark Stranger in the $50,000 elimination of the $1 million North America Cup in 1:48.4s (his time).
• Capt Midnight ran second in the $68,600 Bluegrass Stakes to Warrawee Vital in 1:47.2 (his time).
• Capt Midnight ran second in the $239,500 Tattersalls Pace to Party Girl Hill in 1:47.3 (his time).
• Capt Midnight ran against Tall Dark Stranger seven times, running second to him twice in the North America Cup elimination by a head, and in the Cane Pace.
• Capt Midnight ran third, fourth and fifth to Tall Dark Stranger as well.

Capt Midnight is a descendant of the grand broodmare Romola as is his own sire Captaintreacherous and the sire of his dam American Ideal. This family has arguably been the most productive in the American stud book for successful sire and millionaire race performers.

Last season in Australia he served an incredible book of mares that included the champion race filly, Fleur De Lil, a two time G1 winner and winner of 39 races. She has this year produced a cracking Capt Midnight foal, as evidenced below.

Below is a list of the mares served by Capt Midnight in his first season at stud in Australia in 2021.

1) FLEUR DE LIL ($1,041,636) | 39 wins, p,1:51.4, 2 x Group One Winner

2) FOREVER GOLD ($700,000) | 42 wins, p,1:51.7, 12 x Group Race Winner incl G1 Qld Oaks

3) BETTER ENFORCE ($394,299) | 22 wins, p,1:48.9, 5 x Group Race Winner

4) TACT HAYLEYS DELIGHT ($300,736) | 16 wins, p,1:52.2, 2 x Group Race Winner

5) VANSUMIC ($268,649) | 15 wins, p,1:52.1, 2 x Group Race Winner incl G1 Ladyship Mile

6) TRALEE BROMAC ($230,250) | 18 wins, p,1:50.9, 2 x Group Placed

7) SMART AS CAMM BE ($201,444) |  17 wins from just 24 starts, p,1:55.0, 2 x Group Race Winner incl Group 1 Qbred 2YO Fillies Final

8) BOLD LIFE ($175,000) | 17 wins, p,1:53.2, Group One Placed

9) BRIDGET BLUE CHIP ($177,946)| 17 wins, p,1:51.4, Group One Placed

10) GRACIE TALJUICE ($143,188) | 14 wins, p,1:53.0, Group Three Winner

11) JUPITERS DARLING ($142,720) | 14 wins, p,2:00, 2 x Group Race Winner

12) KARALTA CROWN  ($128,351) | 12 wins, p,2:01, Group Three Winner

13) WHOS ESCAPED ($127,377) | 11 wins, 1:52.7, Listed Classic Winner

14) BLACKBERRY LANE ($119,827) | 13 wins, p,1:53, Listed Classic Placed

15) CRUISER FRANCO ($117,723) | 12 wins, p,1:53.4, Group One Placed

16) ROCKNROLLHIGHLIGHT ($112,947) | 18 wins, p,1:54.2

17) DELIGHTFUL TARA ($109,972) | 12 wins, p,1:51.9, 2 x Group Three Winner

18) GOTTA BEWITCHED ($106,323) 15 wins, p,1:53.7, Listed Classic Winner

19) JASMIN AMAL ($101,51) | 8 wins, p,1:55, 2 x Group One Placed

20) Miss Keesha NZ  ($30,991) 5 wins, p, 1:57.7

21) Endless Journey ($2,560) Dam of Group 1 winners Never Ending (6 starts 6 wins $274,485)) and Isaiah Artois

22) She Aint Kakin ($550) Dam of Group 2 winner He Aint Fakin

23) Artannie – Daughter of NSW Ladyship Mile winner Pete’s Dream

24) Breeze On Bronski ($49,397) 7 wins, p,1:56.8 Sub 1:55 producer

25) Karen Elizabeth ($31,800) 5 wins, p, 1:55.8 Listed winner. Half-sister to Soho Jackman ($368,278)

26) Our Annabelle ($6,015) 2 wins, p, 2:02.8 Dam of 3 in 2:00

27) Hot N Gold NZ ($33,827) 4 wins, p, 1:54.2 Half-sister to 2 $100,000 earners and 3 in 2:00

28) Major Hall ($16,680) 3 wins, p, 1:56.5

29) Roscommon Rose ($49,241) 5 wins, p, 1:55.8

30) Mein Tess Family of Lombo Pocket Watch ($1.5 million)

31) Easy Oro ($130) Half-sister to Group 3 winner Shining Oro

32) She’s Off limits Half-sister to dual Vicbred champion Tell Me Tales

33) Colombian Gold ($79,069) 16 wins, p, 1:53.9 Daughter of Group 3 place getter The Spurs A Flyin

34) Beach Baby Beach ($27,338) 5 wins, p, 1:56.7 Dam of Group 1 place getter Chrissy Chic

35) Angelina Rainbow ($12,506) 2 wins, p, 2:03.5 Tas. Belmont winner

36) Heavenly Shades ($90,180) 11 wins, p, 1:54.9 Group 2 placegetter

37) Heavenly Lily Family of Late Bid and Lotsnlots

38) Soho Whisper NZ ($51,811) 8 wins, p, 1:56.3 Group 2 placegetter

39) Koree Jayne NZ ($19,338) 5 wins, p, 1:58.7

40) Myra Mary Half-sister to dam of Group 1 winner Lyrical Genius

41) Imapinnacle Sub 2:00 producer

42) Stormborn ($9,645) 1 win, p, 2:04.9 Daughter of 2YO Filly of the Year and QLD Oaks winner White Thunder

43) Denise’s Legacy ($74,893) 8 wins, p, 1:57.8 Winner of Group 2 NSW Pink Bonnet

44) Grandmas There ($4,535) Sister to Major Escape ($140,264)

45) Miss Aqua Rose ($11,735) 4 wins, p, 1:58.9 Dam of 3 in 2:00

46) Beauty Mac ($90) Sister to NSW Breeders Challenge and Interdom heat winner Mach Beauty

47) Stoic Half-sister to 2 in 2:00

48) Belle Of Brooklyn NZ ($98,956) 11 wins, p, 1:57 Tas. Matron winner

49) Plain Baby ($70,728) 8 wins, p, 1:57 Half-sister to 3 in 2:00

50) Baby Bliss ($21,835) 7 wins, p, 1:58.1 Globe Derby Park winner

51) Idle Spirit ($550) Half-sister to dam of Lazarus

52) Forever Rocking ($19,917) 2 wins, p, 1:55.9 Daughter of QLD Oaks and Interdom heat winner Forever Gold

53) Reil Quick ($71,043) 17 wins, p, 1:56.9 Half-sister to 2 in 2:00

54) September Morn Family of NSW Sapling Stakes winner Dashing Brucus

55) Designer Rose ($7,665) 1 win Dam of dual Breeders Crown champion No Win No Feed (1:49)

56) Duastar NZ ($19,742) 2 wins, p, 2:03.5 Family of current top WA juvenile Lavra Joe

57) Chantant Elise ($5,510) 2 wins, p, 2:03.1 Family of Victoria Cup winner Max Delight

58) Peyton Princess ($5,570) 1 win, p, 1:59.6 Daughter of NZ Listed winner Lady Peyton

59) Narra Bernalda Half-sister to Stawell Cup winner Narra Operative

60) Kunari Girl Daughter of Vic. Youthful Stakes winner Fon Design

61) Scarlett Brew ($51,315) 8 wins, p, 1:54.9 Listed placegetter. Daughter of Vic. Oaks winner Charlotte Brew

62) Cuddlesome Family of Vic. Ladyship Cup winner Nolarama

63) Regalbara ($39,250) 8 wins, p, 1:57.7

64) I Want Candy ($56,265) 12 wins, p, 1:59.4

65) Redbank Lisamaree Family of NSW Breeders Challenge winner New York Fashion

66) Valstrepo ($31,819) 7 wins, p, 1:57.7 Family of dual Oaks winner Innocent Eyes

67) Our Ultimate Hanna ($46,567) 7 wins, p, 1:54.9 Listed placegetter

68) Priority To Party ($23,600) 6 wins, p, 1:55.4 Half-sister to Listed winner Itcan Happen

69) Macdymond Half-sister to Keayang Destiny (1:53)

70) Mighty Mia ($5,065) 1 win, p, 1:59.2 Dam of 2 in 2:00

71) Holme Safely ($14,289) 5 wins, 2:02.5 Dam of 3 $100,000 earners

72) North American Honey NZ ($36,119) 9 wins, p, 2:00.6 Daughter of NZ Group 2 winner Make N Impact

73) Ali Mendes ($62,290) 10 wins, p, 1:54.5 Family of Stars Align and Hexus

74) Rebby NZ ($84,436) 13 wins, p, 1:56.6 Dam of 4 in 2:00

75) Immortal Change NZ ($71,797) 8 wins, p, 1:57

76) Nicka Time ($18,230) 2 wins, p, 2:02.2 Sister to Listed winners Karloo Kix and Bella Clare

77) Besocial ($64,320) 12 wins, p, 1:56.2 Half-sister to Listed winner Markey Oh Markey

78) Italian Eyes ($10,540) 2 wins, p, 1:59.6 Half-sister to Island Storm ($96,420)

79) Annatto NZ ($52,455) 9 wins, p, 1:58.5 Daughter of NZ Listed winner Spicey

80) Fon Design ($98,331) 11 wins, p, 1:54.1 Vic. Youthful Stakes winner

81) Abercrombie Zoe Half-sister to 2 in 2:00

82) Three Secrets ($1,521) Half-sister to Vicbred champions Royal Verdict and Hexham Heartbeat

83) Handful Of Dreams ($6,665) 1 win, p, 2:00.1 Sister to Listed winner Bettor Dreams

84) Bonton Lady Dam of Stroke Of Luck ($253,091)

85) Sheeza Malteeza ($72,060) 8 wins, p, 1:55.3 Group 2 placegetter

86) Jets Girl ($3,580) 1 win, p, 2:02.1 Dam of Listed winners Struve and Tay Tay

87) Harlow Franco NZ ($19,982) 4 wins, p, 1:56

88) Overcommitted ($6,878) 1 win, p, 2:04.6

89) Ace Reporter ($15,360) 3 wins, p, 1:57.7 Half-sister to Group 1 winners Bar Room Banta and Jerada’s Delight

90) Halcyon Franco NZ ($4,290) 1 win, p, 2:01.1 Dam of 3 in 2:00

Capt Midnight stands his second season down under at a fee of $5000 AUD (incl GST + HRA Stallion Levy) and $4000 NZD + GST.

Bookings are filling up fast and breeders are encouraged to contact Cobbity Equine Farm here should they wish to secure their booking to this exciting up and coming stallion.

For more information on Capt Midnight including his pedigree, mating hints and more, click here

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink