Meadowlands: Captain Optimistic tallies in Graduate Series final for pacers

Captain Optimistic continued in his comeback season from the breeding shed with a front-stepping win in the $230,000 Stan Bergstein Graduate Series final for 4-year-old male pacers on Saturday night at the Meadowlands to equal the fastest mile paced in North America this season.

Leaving from post five, driver Scott Zeron sent the Nancy Takter trainee to the top through a 26 2/5 first quarter and stayed on the motor for the rest of the mile. Go Go Grasshopper, parked from the start, tried to push up the rim to a 53 3/5 half, but Captain Optimistic chugged along with speed that spun his rivals wheels as he opened his advantage to three-quarters in 1:19 4/5.

Captain Optimistic charged through the lane under steady Zeron encouragement to post a 3 3/4 length win in a lifetime-best 1:46 3/5 mile, equaling the North American season's mark set one race prior by Ervin Hanover in the Dave Brower Memorial. Prince Hal Hanover sat third at the pylons around the track and grabbed second from pocket-chaser Swingtown while Sugar Man stormed down the center of the track for fourth.

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"He's matured a lot, I think that's mostly what's been the difference this year," Nancy Takter said after the race. "He obviously grew up, filled out and got stronger. He was always a big boy and I think just getting stronger and being able to carry his speed has helped him a lot. The horse has been super all year - he's bred mares this spring - and he's just shown up in top form. Hopefully a lot of mares got in foal and hopefully those owners that bred their mares to him are going to be real excited in the spring next year when they have a baby by him."

A 4-year-old Captaintreacherous-Cinamony stallion, Captain Optimistic won his third race from five starts this season and his 15th race from 36 starts in his career, earning $1,302,257. He's owned by the Captain Optimistic Syndicate and paid $7.40 to win.