Breeders Crown: Dexter gets it "Dunn" in 2-Year-Old Colt Pace eliminations

"Double D" Dexter Dunn scored winning marks in a sweep of the $25,000 Breeders Crown eliminations for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Friday afternoon (Oct. 18) at the Meadowlands, registering a track record mile with Captain Optimistic and a minor surprise with Swingtown.

Captain Optimistic cleared the lead, rolled and refused to lose in a track record 1:49 mile in winning the first Breeders Crown elimination.

Dunn darted Captain Optimistic for the front from the outermost post in the octet and landed onto the pylons before a 27 2/5 first quarter. On the point, he coasted to a 55 second half while Louprint patiently pulled outside from fourth to front stablemate Sippinonsearoc in an outside charge through the final turn. Captain Optimistic remained steady under pending siege through three-quarters in 1:22 1/5 and defended the helm from a three-pronged attack from Ron Burke trainees in the stretch. Dunn kept asking and Captain Optimistic kept finding as his headpole popped off while keeping his head down to hold his ground and take a half-length victory over pocket-sitter Railroad Station. Louprint fought for third from Sippinonsearoc and Papis Pistol followed to complete the top five.

"With that wide draw, we had to get handy," Dunn said after the race. "He got across pretty easy and he felt good on the front; if one of the other ones wanted to come, I would've been happy with that. He got through that last turn and knew it was game time and really fought good up the straight. The further we got into the mile, the better he felt. He stuck his head out and fought up strong."

Nancy Takter trains Captain Optimistic, a colt by Captaintreacherous and out of the Art Official mare Cinamony. The colt has now won six races from eight starts and earned $210,885 for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz and Caviart Farms. The 1:49 mile by the Fair Winds Farm Inc.-bred colt eclipses the previous Meadowlands track record for 2-year-old pacing colts of 1:49 1/5 set by Huntsville in 2016.

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Dunn perched Swingtown into a second-over tow behind 1-5 favorite Fallout and bolted forward in the stretch to a 1:50 1/5 win while drawing away in the second Breeders Crown elimination.

Swingtown floated off the wings to race fifth right behind Fallout as he abandoned his leave attempt to tuck to the pylons before a 26 4/5 first quarter uncorked by Papi's Rocket. Fallout bided his time to a 55 second half until Swingtown forced his hand outside to begin a rush into the final turn. Papi's Rocket folded on the lead through three-quarters in 1:23 4/5 as Fallout marched forward with Swingtown fanning wide for the stretch drive. Swingtown drew alongside Fallout in the last eighth and slid by the odds-on chalk with ease in progress to a 2 3/4 length victory. Makes Sense saved ground to take third with Prince Hal Hanover settling for fourth off a pocket ride and Banderas earning the last berth into the final.

"I've obviously seen him race – he's a little bit hot, little bit excited, but he was good out of there once he got on the helmet," Dunn said. "There was a bit of action early, so we bailed out [and] Timmy [and Fallout] bailed out and landed in the spot in front of me. He was the perfect helmet to follow. Once I moved him off the helmet up the straight, he really sprinted good."

A colt by Downbytheseaside and out of the Art Major mare Swinging Beauty, Swingtown earned his sixth victory from nine starts and has now banked $352,182 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc. and R A S Racing LLC. Ron Burke trains the Steiner Stock Farm-bred colt who paid $7.60 to win.

Elimination winners Captain Optimistic and Swingtown earned draw protection between posts one through six for the $700,000 Breeders Crown final next Friday (Oct. 25).

2-YEAR-OLD COLT AND GELDING PACE

PP - Horse - Driver - Trainer

1 - Papis Pistol - Andy Miller - Sam DePinto
2 - Swingtown - Dexter Dunn - Ron Burke
3 - Sippinonsearoc - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
4 - Prince Hal Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Ian Moore
5 - Captain Optimistic - Dexter Dunn - Nancy Takter
6 - Makes Sense - Andrew McCarthy - Robert Cleary
7 - Banderas - James MacDonald - Tony Alagna
8 - Fallout - Tim Tetrick - Tony Alagna
9 - Louprint - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
10 - Railroad Station - David Miller - Ron Burke