Captain Serious breaks stakes record in Mike Lee

ELMONT, N.Y. – Captain Serious is seriously fast.

Making the lead when his stablemate Loki’s Vengeance stumbled at the break, Captain Serious rolled to a three-length victory in the $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds. Over a track that was playing fast both in the morning and the afternoon, Captain Serious ran seven furlongs in 1:20.99, eclipsing the stakes record of 1:21.64 for the distance set by Amberjack last year. Captain Serious and Amberjack both are trained by Mike Hushion.

“When they run that fast, even when they make it look easy, I think it’s an effort,” Hushion said.

Captain Serious, named after Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews, is now 3 for 3 - a hat trick if you will- in his career.

Breaking from the outside post under Jose Ortiz, Captain Serious broke on top and when no one went for the lead, Ortiz decided to seize it. Captain Serious ran an opening quarter in 23.22 seconds and though he received mild pressure from Loki’s Vengeance, Captain Serious ran away from that rival when Ortiz asked.

Ortiz said when no one went for the early lead “I take the lead and after that I was a passenger.”

Empire Dreams finished second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Deceived, who got third by a head over John’s Island. Eye Luv Lulu, Swell, Loki’s Vengeance, and Freddie G completed the order of finish.

Captain Serious, the 7-5 favorite following the scratch of morning-line choice Uncle Sigh, returned $4.80 to win.

There is no Big Apple Triple this year, a triple crown for New York-breds that linked the Mike Lee to stakes at Finger Lakes and Saratoga, so Hushion won’t be compelled to run Captain Serious in the New York Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race at Finger Lakes in July.