Meadowlands: Captain Barbossa sails in track record time

First-over tactics worked for Captain Barbossa and Allywag Hanover in winning their respective $50,000 divisions of the third leg of the Graduate Series for 4-year-old pacers on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Captain Barbossa, last year's Little Brown Jug champion, lowered the track record for a 4-year-old gelding pacer to 1:47 1/5 in the first grouping. Driver Dexter Dunn sat third with Captain Barbossa through opening-half fractions of 25 3/5 and 52 4/5 posted by Tattoo Artist (Todd McCarthy) and Posiedon Seelster (George Brennan), then attacked on the last turn.

After moving up to second at the 1:20 1/5 three-quarters, Captain Barbossa forged his way by the spent Poseidon Seelster in the lane, then braced for a challenge from Warrawee Vital (Tim Tetrick), who was rallying from second-over. Captain Barbossa dug in gamely and was able to keep his pursuer at bay, downing Warrawee Vital by three-parts of a length. Sandbetweenmytoes (Brian Sears) got up for third.

The previous standard for a 4-year-old gelding pacer at the Meadowlands had been 1:47 2/5 and belonged to Bettor Sweet, Wiggle It Jiggleit, and Donttellmeagain.

"He's a cool horse to drive. Obviously the fractions were set up for a fast mile, but he came first-over from the half, and he really knuckled down down the stretch," said Dunn. "A very nice performace."

Tony Alagna trains Captain Barbossa, a son of Captaintreacherous, for owners Robert Leblanc, David Anderson, and Alagnafrankinthegym Stable. Captain Barbossa is now a seven-time winner in his career, and he has banked $533,438. He paid $8.20 to win as a 3-1 shot.

In the other flight, first Cattlewash (David Miller) and then Ruthless Hanover (Andrew McCarthy) put up panels of 27, 54 3/5, and 1:22 2/5, but Allywag Hanover (Tetrick), who found a seat in sixth after floating out from post eight and then began a first-over move before the half, had charged up into second on the rim at three-quarters. In the lane Allywag Hanover got an advantage over Ruthless Hanover, and he was able to keep it to the wire, prevailing by half a length in 1:48 1/5. Ruthless Hanover held second, and there was a dead-heat for third between Splash Brother (Mark MacDonald) and Cattlewash.

"Today he toughed it out pretty good. I just kind of raced him like a sports car, and he got it done," remarked Tetrick. "With the eight-hole I knew I was going to have to get a little lucky and get into a spot. It all depended on how fast the fractions were. I kind of came early and he paced right up to the leader, and he paced home strong to get the win."

Allywag Hanover is another Captaintreacherous gelding and is trained by Brett Pelling for owner Allywag Stable. Allywag Hanover made his tenth appearance in the winner's circle from 27 tries, and he has now put away $297,668. Dispatched at 7-1, he returned $16.20 to win.