Captaintreacherous rules at Big M Baby Races

East Rutherford, NJ – Breakfast With The Babies (BWTB) Saturday morning were sponsored by Jules Siegel's Fashion Farm was conducted under perfect conditions on a clear, windless morning with temperatures in the 70's. The Meadowlands racetrack was rated as fast.

The Captaintreacherous colts were on display in a big way this morning as a half dozen well-bred colts from his exciting first crop purchased last fall by Myron Bell's consortium and trained by Tony Alagna positioned themselves on a course to advance the legacy of their champion sire and they did him proud.

Shipshape (Brett Miller) was the first to go in race six, was sent right to the front and faced no opposition as he cruised the oval in 1:54.2 home in 27 seconds in hand. The sharp looking Brittany Farms bred from Fresh Idea was a $175,000 Lexington purchase by Brittany, Marvin Katz, Brad Grant and Captain Trevor Racing.

Captain Ahab (Yannick Gingras) went virtually the same mile in the 7th, just a tick faster as he finished the mile in 1:54 flat. He rolled off similar numbers and finished well in hand, holding two other "Captaian" colts followed him across the wire with Odds On Boca Raton (Scott Zeron) second and Waterway (B. Miller) third.

All three are sons of Captaintreacherous and trained by Alagna and Captain Ahab's owners are listed as Brittany Farms, Brad Grant, Vinnie Barbera and Captain Ahab Racing who paid $100,000 for him in Lexington. Brittany Farms bred this colt as well.

US Captain closed the day on a high note for the team as he held challengers on both sides at bay through a 27.1 end to a 1:55.2 mile. Gingras moved US Captain to the front as they passed the half in 59.4, faced a stern rush from another "Captain" in Latissimus Hanover (Tetrick) through a 28.2 third panel then put that rival away and held Caviart Rockland (Marcus Johansson) off up the inside through the final strides.

US Captain is from the champion mare American Jewel and was also bred by Brittany who retains a piece of the colt with partners Brad Grant, Joe Barbera and US Captain Racing. He was a $180,000 Lexington yearling purchase.

Trainer Joe Holloway also had a huge day with three impressive winners, all driven by Hall of Famer David Miller.

Trixton also impressed as the first crop sire and 2014 Hambletonian winner sired a few winners including Battenberg, a colt from Coffeecake Hanover who wowed the crowd with a 1:55.4 mile where he was in front by 10 to 15 lengths the entire way.

He snapped from the gate quickly for David Miller and had 10 on the field by the 28.1 quarter, continued through the half in 57.1 and 1:26.4 three quarters before coasting home in 29 to win by 13 lengths. Holloway trains Battenberg for Crawford Farms and Val D'Or Farms who gave $210,000 for him at last fall's Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg. Millstream Stable bred the colt.

Joe also sent out a Heston Blue Chip filly by the name of Zero Tolerance who zipped around the oval in 1:53.3 with an ultra-impressive 26.3 final quarter, absolutely flying in late stretch for Miller. She is a Winbak Farms bred $30,000 Lexington Select Sale purchase by Val D'Or Farms and Ted Gewertz.

Trotting fillies opened the card and the Starita, also by Trixton was a convincing 1:58.2 winner for Miller. Starita went right to the front, set comfortable fractions and sprinted home in 27.4 under her own power. Mimi'spearloflindy (Mattias Melander) was second. Holloway trains the $50,000 (LEX Select) Brittany Farms bred filly for owners Val D'Or Farms and Gewertz.

Speed Titan, by another exciting first crop sire in EL Titan, was an easy 1:58.1 winner for Marcus Melander in race 2. She followed along behind Taja Mahala (Chuck Connor) as that one cruised through a 1:00.3 half and 1:29.3 three quarters before Melander tipped her out and she charged by that rival to win by a widening five lengths. Taja Mahalla held for second. Speed Titan was a $50,000 (LEX Select) buy for Rick Wahlstedt from breeder Kjell Andersen.

Melander came right back in the third with the $225,000 (LEX Select) Muscle Hill colt Gerry, who cut the mile and moved away from the competition with a 28.1 end to his 1:57.3 mile. Osterc (Yannick Gingras) sat behind throughout and finished second. Gerry was bred by KG Bertmark and is owned by Svensk Reklamfinans AB.

Live racing tonight with an 11 race card beginning at around 7:15 pm with Justify chasing the Triple Crown in the Belmont at 7:00 pm.

by Nick Salvi, for The Meadowlands