Breeding horses in the standardbred business is less of a science and more of a feeling. As racehorses have evolved over time, breeders have studied patterns trying to become more precise as they look to advance the breed and create a better and obviously faster animal. One theory many have adopted has been to advance generations as quickly as possible from great stallions to their offspring and grandsons. The late Somebeachsomewhere’s best son Captaintreacherous has already done his part to build on the work and now a new generation will begin cropping up in 2021. Captain Crunch has already been fully booked for this breeding season and Diamond Creek Farm will guide the way. “He checked all of the boxes,” said Adam Bowden, the Farm’s owner and president. “He was a great 2-year-old. He’s got great bloodlines on both sides of his pedigree. He’s a big beautiful horse that stands 16.2 (hands) with great conformation.” Bowden was not at all surprised that Captain Crunch’s first book was filled rapidly. “This horse has been well-supported,” said Bowden. “We syndicated 50 percent and most of the big breeders will send mares to him.” Support is always a major concern for any new stallion and that is something Bowden and his team work at when announcing a stud fee. In coming up with a $7,500 fee for his first season, Captain Crunch was fairly priced not just for his first year but the next few before any of his offspring hit the racetrack. On the pedigree side, Captain Crunch has a solid maternal line of some outstanding and rugged racehorses. Current stallion Sweet Lou is primary on the list and those that look back a few years from his current impressive stallion career can remember a great 2-year-old that was as tough as they come on the racetrack. Also in Captain Crunch’s immediate pedigree is the multiple Breeders Crown winner Bettor Sweet, who was as durable as they come and proved so on the biggest stage. Captain Crunch himself may have gotten lost at times in 2019 during his 3-year-old campaign, but when he was on his game, he proved impossible to stop. A vintage performance in the North America Cup following a stumble a week earlier typified the resilience of the horse and his fine connections. “Nancy (Takter) did a fantastic job with the horse,” said Bowden. “She’s a young trainer but she’s been able to develop some great horses.” In 2018 as a foal from the first crop of Captaintreacherous, Captain Crunch closed out his campaign in grand style. He followed up an impressive Breeders Crown victory with a dominant performance in the Governor’s Cup. As a 3-year-old, Captain Crunch managed a third-place finish in the Breeders Crown then bounced back late in the year with a magnificent 1:47 3/5 clocking in a Progress Pace elimination, just a fifth off his mark taken in the North America Cup. While collectively he was unable to contend with some of 2019’s heavy hitters at times, Captain Crunch had a memorable mile on Hambletonian Day when he tracked down eventual division winner Bettor’s Wish in an epic Cane Pace triumph. Only looking down the road might we find that the first-crop classes of both Captaintreacherous and Sweet Lou that debuted in 2018 may have been as good a group collectively as we’ve seen in some time. Only then might we measure what we witnessed on the track over the last couple of seasons. That Captain Crunch possesses bloodlines encompassing those two powerhouse stallions is perhaps one of the main reasons he was so in demand this breeding season and likely beyond. Bowden was happy to get Captain Crunch to his Pennsylvania breeding farm. “It’s been a couple of years since we went after a pacing stallion,” said Bowden. “I’m very happy to buy into a horse like this. All of the owners are committed to the business,” Bowden said. While details of all of the mares that will fill the 2020 book for Captain Crunch are unavailable at this time, Bowden did manage to share the identity of a few of the 14 mares he plans to breed. “I’m breeding L A Delight,” said Bowden of the $1.4 million winning mare, a daughter of Bettor’s Delight that finished third in this year’s Roses Are Red behind divisional winner Shartin N. Bowden will send West Of L A, herself the dam of L A Delight and last year’s top pacing filly Sunny Dee, to Captain Crunch. This should be a rather interesting mating considering the veteran mare’s impressive credentials. In addition to the aforementioned sensational pacing mares, West Of L A produced from her first foal the $1.8 million winner Somewhere In L A by Somebeachsomewhere. Her success with Sunshine Beach (sire of Sunny Dee) bodes well for a cross with the next generation of this potent stallion line. A colt from that mare has sales-topper written all over it. Diamond Creek Farm stalwarts Ginger And Fred, a $1.9 million winner on the racetrack that’s already produced a 1:48 1/5 winner from her first two foals, and Blood Diamond, a mare that from her first three foals has three 1:50 or better winners, all with earnings in excess of $400K, will be bred to Captain Crunch as well in 2020. There are no sure things in the breeding business. At the same time, successful breeders are the ones that can look into the future and see the potential in a stallion. Success on the racetrack hopefully follows. Those who own broodmares have to look ahead as well and in Captain Crunch I suppose many will find the potential in bloodlines filled with some impressive racing superstars. While not current in Captain Crunch’s pedigree, the presence of Artsplace prominently is worth noting. Some 30 years ago Artsplace’s victory in the Breeders Crown juvenile pace at Pompano was proof of what freshman pacers were capable of producing. That blood has now passed on generationally and perhaps Captain Crunch’s foals will take it a step further.