Meadowlands: Captaintreacherous colts golden in Governor's Cup elims

It was a Captaintreacherous and McCarthy brothers sweep of the $20,000 Governor's Cup eliminations for juvenile pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night at the Meadowlands as Captain Luke and Maxim Hanover prevailed for Todd McCarthy and Andy McCarthy, respectively.

Captain Luke sat in the pocket behind Total Stranger (Yannick Gingras) through fractions of 27 2/5, 56 and 1:24 2/5 in the first elimination, with Newsroom (David Miller) looming after going first-up from third on the final bend. In the lane McCarthy was able to swing Captain Luke to the outside of Newsroom, and once he had room, Captain Luke had a strong finishing kick, getting up for a two length win. Newsroom, Its Saturday Night (Marcus Miller) and T H Tyson (Patrick Ryder) secured the automatic spots in the final and Noblesville (Tim Tetrick) would win the draw between the two fifth-place finishers in the elims to also advance.

"It was the first time I've sat behind him tonight, so I didn't really know a lot about him. I was sort of trying to get a feel for him there, but he's a very nice little horse to drive," said Todd McCarthy. "I'm looking forward to next week.

"I thought I was in a pretty good spot there. As long as David was content to stay third, I was happy to be in the two-hole. Yannick's horse probably came up a little short at the top of the stretch and I was looking for a way out. He was doubled-up, the little guy, and once he got clear, he showed a lot of pace."

This was Captain Luke's first career win in his 11th attempt for trainer Tony Alagna and owners Robert Leblanc, Pryde Stables Inc., Brad Grant and Steve Head. Bred by Vieux Carre' Farms, Captain Luke sold for $135,000 last year at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and has now put away $116,459. He paid $5.00 to win as the 3-2 favorite.

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Huntingforchrome (Joe Bongiorno) was in front at the 27 second quarter, 56 3/5 half and 1:24 three-quarters in the second elimination, but Matron Stakes champion Maxim Hanover, who appeared to be stalled out in the first-over position on the final bend, was able to get by him inside the final eighth and held sway to the wire, scoring by a neck in 1:52. Wish You Well (D. Miller) tracked the winner's cover and was the runner-up, followed by Booming Economy (Gingras) and Huntingforchrome.

Trained by Robert Cleary for owner Royal Wire Products Inc., Maxim Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, won for the fourth time. The $115,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase has now banked $138,640 and returned $10.20 to win as the 4-1 second choice.

Lou Vuitton, by virtue of his win in last week's Kindergarten Series final, had already advanced to the Governor's Cup final.