Pocono: Captain Crunch dazzles in 2019 debut, Workin Ona Mystery also impressive
Captain Crunch, last year’s two-year-old champion, had people asking “What’s he going to do when he gets tighter?” after taking his 2019 debut by an effortless 1 3/4 lengths in a division of the second preliminary round of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts Sunday at Mohegan Sun Pocono, negotiating a sloppy track in an amazing 1:49 1/5, last quarter 26 seconds flat.
2018 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion Proof left hard from an outer post to clear to the lead just after the 27 second quarter, with Scott Zeron already having given the word to Captain Crunch and the Captaintreacherous colt powering right to the lead before reaching the half in 55 2/5. Southwind Ozzi, a first-round PaSS winner, made a bold move from fifth to challenge the leader towards the 1:23 1/5 three-quarters, but then, without a race in 145 days, over off going, Captain Crunch charged home with the powerhouse 26 second blitz, with Zeron mostly an interested passenger. Southwind Ozzi, the second choice, held extremely well in second, a length in front of third choice Proof, who also stayed on nicely after the early usage.
Though some people have been known to complain about soggy cereal, Captain Crunch has no apparent aversion to moisture, having won the Breeders Crown (at Pocono) and the Governor’s Cup on sloppy ovals, and now posting this off-track victory, which equaled his lifetime mark and is the fastest mile of the young season by a 3-year-old on any size of oval. Nancy Johansson trains the divisional favorite and winner of $645,322 for 3 Brothers Stable, Christina Takter, Rojan Stables, and Caviart Farms.
The major challenger to Captain Crunch may emerge to be Workin Ona Mystery, another Captaintreacherous colt who won his first five starts at two, then ended his season after having a horrible trip in his Breeders Crown elimination and not advancing. A 1:50 1/5 PaSS winner in his 2019 bow, Workin Ona Mystery traveled the sloppy Pocono oval in 1:49 3/5 to match his lifetime-best.
Tim Tetrick reserved his colt in fourth as Love Me Some Lou needed most of the 26 4/5 quarter to make the top. Workin Ona Mystery quickly moved and worked his way to command, but then got a very hard challenge from 40-1 Volley Ball Beach, who recovered from an early miscue to race as a team with the winner to a 54 2/5 half and got a short backstretch lead before his bid ended just past the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters. Despite the hard middle-half, nobody could get near Workin Ona Mystery late, with Love Me Some Lou 4 3/4 lengths back at the wire. The Brian Brown trainee seems to have recovered well from his one hiccup for owners Diamond Creek Racing, Stambaugh Leeman Stable, Alan Keith, and Wingfield Brothers LLC.
The third division of Sire Stakes produced the only non-favorite in the Sires and Stallion Series events, as 6-5 “longshot” Wild Wild Western, a Western Ideal colt who was unraced at two but now has posted a 10-6-4-0 scorecard at three after equaling his mark of 1:52. Driver Mike Wilder used the popular frontstretch brush tactic with the Norm Parker trainee after the 26 3/5 opener, put up middle fractions of 56 1/5 and 1:24, then had to hold off two late threats to his left, 26-1 Caviart Stetson in second and Semi Tough in third, both a neck back. Even money favorite Major Deception was another half-length behind the top trio. Wild Wild Western is owned by Jacobs Creek Racing LLC., Andrew Altobelli, and John Deters.
--press release (PHHA/Pocono)--