Pacers take runner-up spot on Hambo Day

Undoubtedly, the harness racing trotting gait takes center stage on Hambletonian Day, with ten races for those Standardbreds who travel in a diagonal fashion. On tomorrow’s 16-race card there are also six races devoted to the pacing genre, featuring a total of $783,000 in purses.

Overall and to no surprise, it is the stallion Captaintreacherous, p, 3, 1:47.1 ($3,148,657), a son of Somebeachsomewhere, who is represented by the most performers—a total of 11 out of the 56 pacers competing on Hambletonian afternoon. Having entered the breeding shed in 2015, “The Captain,” as he is affectionately known, has thus far sired 653 starters who have earned $85,592,100, including Allywag Hanover p, 5, 1:46 ($2,324,146), who will start in tomorrow’s $220,000 Sam McKee Memorial (Race 8) from post seven for trainer Brett Pelling.

Captaintreacherous also has three colts racing in the $248,000 Cane Pace (Race 2), that features just a field of five; Captain’s Quarters, Captain Luke, and Remember The Alamo. *Bettor’s Delight* p, 3, 1:49.4 ($2,581,461), a son of Cam’s Card Shark, and *Huntsville* p, 3, 1:47.4 ($1,704,242), a son of Somebeachsomewhere, are the sires of the other two competitors in that small conglomerate of 3-year-old pacing colts. The former is represented by Mirage Hanover for trainer Jake Leamon, while the latter is represented by Legendary Hanover for trainer Anthony Beaton.

Likewise, in the $101,000 Shady Daisy (Race 5) that features eleven 3-year-old pacing fillies, Captaintreacherous has five performers, including: 5-2 favorite Caviart Belle, Reigning Jade, Stonecoldtreachery, Rocket Deo, and Flawless.

The Captain also has a pair (Ken Hanover and Allywag Hanover) vying in the $200,000 Sam McKee Memorial Pace (Race 8) that sports a field of 11 pacers, and one (Beach Cowgirl) in the $146,000 Lady Liberty Pace (Race 15) for aged mares that has ten contestants.

Always B Miki p, 5, 1:46 ($715,368) is represented by eight of his progenies—all of them in the aged divisions, including two in the $50,000 Preferred Pace (Race 7); one in the $220,000 Sam McKee Memorial (Race 8); three in the $146,000 Lady Liberty (Race 15); and two in the $18,000 conditioned finale pace (Race 16).

This son of Always A Virgin began his stallion career in 2017 in Pennsylvania and to date has produced 399 starters who have combined progeny earnings of $37,517,142. Grace Hill p, 5, 1:47.4s ($1,821,548) and Perfect Sting p, 3, 1:48.1 ($1,808, 147) are two of his finest, along with Sylvia Hanover p, 3, 1:48.1 ($1,601,141), who will go postward from the three-ho le in tomorrow’s $146,000 Lady Liberty (Race 15) for trainer Mark Steacy.

Stay Hungry p, 3, 1:47.3 ($1,303,709), another son of Somebeachsomewhere, has been siring colts and fillies since 2019 in Pennsylvania, and has three foals going postward in the $101,000 Shady Daisy (Race 5) and one each in races 7, 15, and 16, for a total of six on tomorrow’s prestigious card. Miraculous Deo will leave from post one in the Shady Daisy for trainer Noel Daley, while Lyons Legend and Chiapanecas leave from post four and ten respectively for trainer Jim King, Jr. Since he first entered the breeding shed in Pennsylvania in 2019, Stay Hungry has produced 232 starters who have earned $12,220,803.

Sweet Lou, p, 5, 1:47f ($3,478,894), the strikingly handsome son of Yankee Cruiser and sire of last year’s Horse of the Year Confederate, p, 3, 1:46.1 ($2,077,554), is represented by five of his progeny, including three in the $101,000 Shady Daisy (Race 5)—Canigetalouploup, Sweet Gal, and Lou Lou), and one each in Races 7 and 8.

Somebeachsomewhere, p, 3, 1:46.4 ($3,221,299), the obvious patriarch of this group*, *himself a son of Mach Three, has four older foals racing on Saturday afternoon, two in the $220,000 Sam McKee Memorial (Race8) and two in Race 16. The aforementioned Bettor’s Delight and Huntsville each have three foals racing tomorrow—with one each rounding out the five horse $248,000 Cane Pace (Race 2) field. Somebeachsomewhere has stood in Pennsylvania since 2009 and thus far has 1,012 starters with $205,020,532 in progeny earnings.

Both American Ideal p, 3, 1:47.4 ($786,055-Western Ideal) and Betting Line p, 3, 1:47.2 ($1,879,061-Bettor’s Delight) are represented by two foals each in the aged events, while the following stallions each have one foal racing Saturday afternoon: Sportswriter, Downbytheseaside, Always A Virgin, Shadow Play, Rock N Roll Heave, Lazarus N, Big Jim, Roll With Joe, Racing Hill, Captain Crunch and JK Endofanera.

by Kimberly Rinker, for Harnesslink