Red Mile: Early Action swiftest in Grand Circuit divisions for rookie male pacers

Early Action, Pebble Beach, and Captain Cowboy delivered in the trio of International Stallion Stakes sections for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Saturday afternoon at The Red Mile.

In the first $92,300 tilt, Gulf Shores (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) led through fractions of 28, 55 2/5, and 1:23, but Early Action (Brian Sears) made a first-over move out of fourth in the backstretch that carried him into second at three-quarters. Early Action was able to sustain his bid into the lane, took command in mid-stretch, and pulled clear to win by two lengths in 1:50. Birthday (Tim Tetrick) rallied for second, and Market Based (Dexter Dunn) turned a second-over trip into a third-place result.

"I was really happy with him. Obviously the horse has shown a lot of versatility, and you need that to beat the type of horses that he's going up against," said Sears. "I'm really happy with that.

"He's definitely a nice colt. There's a lot of them out there, but he's one of them."

Joe Holloway trains Early Action, a Huntsville-Fashion Katie gelding bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, for owners Val D'Or Farms and Ted Gewertz. Early Action, a $60,000 buy at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale, has seven wins and a second from nine starts, has earned $170,558, and paid $3.40 to win.

"The two efforts here [were impressive], and when he had raced in the Kindergarten I was impressed," remarked Holloway. "After that night, I started counting the number of starts to make sure we don't get too many for next year.

"You never know for sure, and you have to see how good they are, but once he took command I knew it was over. David Miller said it, the colt likes to win. That's a big thing when they like to do that."

Fourever Boy (Mike Wilder) went to the top from post four in the second $93,300 flight and posted panels of 28 1/5, 55 4/5, and 1:23 3/5. Fouever Boy was able to fend off a first-over bid from Seaside Way (David Miller) in the backstretch and through the last turn, but then Risenshine Seaside (Wrenn Jr.), Caviart Camden (Yannick Gingras), and Pebble Beach (Todd McCarthy) all fanned out from off cover.

Through the stretch the closers swarmed in on Fourever Boy. Moving the best of the group was Pebble Beach on the far outside, and thanks to a 26 3/5 final kicker, he got up to tally by a length in 1:50 4/5. Caviart Camden was the runner-up, and Fourever Boy held on to finish in the third position.

"He was terrific. It was a great race. We got away a little further back than probably what I expected, but the tempo was good early, so I was pretty content to be where we were. I felt I was following the right ones at the time," remarked McCarthy. "I felt like I had a lot of horse [turning for home]. I just hoped that I was going to be quick enough to be able to get by Caviart Camden, and he showed his speed today."

Pebble Beach, who was bred by Brittany Farms and brought $85,000 at the 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, is trained by Noel Daley for owners Patricia Stable, Joe Sbrocco, Country Club Acres Inc., and La Express & Jaf Racing. The Downbytheseaside-Santa Rosa colt has a record of 6-2-1 from nine appearances, and he has now banked $283,950. He returned $3.00 to win.

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Captain Cowboy (Dunn) pulled an 11-1 upset in the third $93,300 division. Nautical Hanover (McCarthy) led at the quarter, which went on the board in just 29 seconds, but he would be overtaken by Loukes Perry (Gingras) on the way to the 56 1/5 half. Metro Pace winner Monte Miki (Scott Zeron) got going first-over from fourth nearing the half, and he was able to advance into second before the 1:25 three-quarters.

Loukes Perry dug in through the lane and continued to hold an advantage over Monte Miki, but to their outside both second-over Six Feet Apart (Tim Tetrick) and third-over Captain Cowboy were in top flight after angling out. Captain Cowboy surged into command inside the last eighth, and he would go on to score by a pair of lengths in 1:51 2/. Six Feet Apart was next, followed by Monte Miki, who suffered his first defeat.

"I think he likes to buy one each year and play around with it. This guy here, he got the right one," Dunn said about trainer Ake Svanstedt. "I was lucky to the pick the drive up obviously. There was actually lots of confidence in the camp. He didn't get much luck last week and was full of pace. They were pretty confident with him, and going to three-quarters, I was pretty confident, too. That's the first time I've sat behind him, but he was ready to roll."

Svanstedt also co-owns Captain Cowboy, a Captaintreacherous-Odds On Lassomyhrt colt, with Little E LLC. Captain Cowboy, bred by Fred Hertrich, was an $80,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase, and he is now a five-time winner from eight trips behind the gate. He has now put away $109,705 and paid $25.40 to win.