Meadowlands: Captain Corey marches to Hambletonian title

Captain Corey led a 1-3-4 finish for trainer Ake Svanstedt after going to the lead, overcoming two-wide pressure, and keeping clear through the lane to win the $1 million Hambletonian final for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Saturday afternoon at the Meadowlands.

With Svanstedt in the bike, Captain Corey rocketed out from post four and established command. Cuatro De Julio (Lucas Wallin) also left powerfully from post ten, but Svanstedt had to intention of letting him go in a 26 second opening quarter. Wallin attempted to back off and slide into an open pocket, but then Delayed Hanover (Gingras), another Svanstedt trainee, drove on and kept the two-hole closed, leaving Cuatro De Julio parked out.

Cuatro De Julio and Captain Corey were locked in battle at the 54 second half, and their duel would continue around the far turn, with Sonofamistery (Brian Sears) coming to the outside to sit second-over. Take All Comers (David Miller) got into the third-over slot, Really Fast (Dexter Dunn) sat fourth-over, and Svanstedt's third horse, Ambassador Hanover (Scott Zeron), tipped out into a fifth-over position when Venerate (Andy Miller) made a break on the last turn.

The tough trip began to finally show on Cuatro De Julio coming to the 1:22 3/5 three-quarters as he began to fall back from Captain Corey, and then Captain Corey got rid of him for good after three-quarters, leaving him on a clear lead turning for home. Through the stretch, Captain Corey responded when Svanstedt called on him, and he was able to hit the wire a length and a half to the good in a career-best 1:51. Spy Booth (Tim Tetrick) saved ground on the inside and got up for second, and Ambassador Hanover trotted home in 27 3/5 to get up for third. Delayed Hanover was fourth and Take All Comers wound up fifth.

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"He was strong today. He had good heart and fight, but he was strong also," said Svanstedt, who indicated that Captain Corey's next race would be the Earl Beal Jr. Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono later this month. "Everything was perfect, it was one week since his last race, so that was perfect.

"I was worried that they were going to come from behind, but he fought well."

A colt by Googoo Gaagaa, Captain Corey is also co-owned by Svanstedt in partnership with S R F Stable, Knutsson Trotting Inc., and Midnight Sun Partners Inc. Captain Corey has compiled a record of 8-2-0 from 12 career starts, and he has now earned $915,333. Bred by Carter Duer, Captain Corey sold for $150,000 as HIP 512 at the 2019 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, and he paid $4.60 to win today as the favorite.

"It was a very, very special moment. I'm so happy for all of the connections around the horse. The Svanstedt team has done a marvelous job," said victorious co-owner Robert Lindstrom, who also purchased Googoo Gaagaa and exported him to Sweden after a brilliant start to his stallion career there when only frozen semen was available. "We have friends and partners in Sweden watching it on television now that couldn't come. I just want to greet them also, and the crowd has been marvelous."