Yonkers: Captain Batboy hits a home run in MGM Grand Messenger final

Captain Batboy and driver Jordan Stratton made every call a winning one, capturing the $250,000 MGM Grand Messenger Stakes, the first jewel of Pacing's Triple Crown at Yonkers Raceway on Friday night in a sparkling 1:57 4/5 clocking for the mile and one-sixteenth distance. A son of Captainreacherous, Captain Batboy, a winner of just $94,468 entering the race, more than doubled his earnings for owner Joseph Smith and trainer Tom Fanning.

With 10 horses in the field the Messenger was turned into an added-distance affair, hoping to balance out the odds for the trailers. The action was hot and heavy with the longer run into the first turn as Strengthfromabove and Yannick Gingras jetted to the front followed by American Fling and top pilot Jason Bartlett. American Fling had the lead early, but Captain Batboy and Stratton used most of the quarter before clearing in a wicked opening fraction of 26 seconds.

The 7-5 favored Seven Colors pulled early on the second turn for Tim Tetrick hoping to fish out cover, and he was followed by It's a Me Mario and Bamboozler, with the latter two racing parked out from the outset. Annapolis Hanover and driver Hunter Myers saw Tetrick coming and pulled late on the second turn to challenge for the front. With all the jostling for position behind him, Stratton was able to stall the second quarter to get to the half in just 54 3/5, and that was too slow for some, including Strengthfromabove and Gingras, who was parallel to the ground while trying to keep his horse safely in the three-hole. Tyler Buter had even more trouble following fourth along the pylons with Thunder Hunter Joe and briefly veered off following the half but did not interfere with It's A Me Mario, with Brian Sears steering around the potential incident and losing no ground.

The outer flow stalled as Stratton kept the motor running on Captain Batboy as he passed three-quarters in 1:22 4/5 and fought off pressure from Annapolis Hanover. Seven Colors came wide, as did Bamboozler for Dexter Dunn, but neither was able to fire, leaving the top three along the pylons with freedom to pace as hard as necessary. Gingras angled Strengthfromabove to the outside late on the final turn and made a race of it, but after passing the mile marker in 1:50 4/5, Captain Batboy still had a final sixteenth of seven seconds to his credit and held his rival at bay for the biggest win of his young career. Strengthfromabove was a clear second, with Thunder Hunter Joe pacing home well for third. American Fling, the early leader, faded to fourth, with Joemikiyoursofine never leaving the pylons and gaining the fifth check.

"He races best on the front-end," said Stratton following the victory. "He was really sharp qualifying last week at the Meadowlands and was as good tonight."

As the 2-1 second choice Captain Batboy returned $6 to win. The exacta was worth $40.60 and trifecta $377.50. A 10-cent superfecta returned a healthy $113.65 with the favorite out of the money.

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In the companion $115,000 Park MGM Pace for the fillies, Earthwindfire (Tim Tetrick), the odds-on favorite, was able to clear to the point early on from post five, posted fractions of 27 3/5, 56 1/5 and 1:24 2/5, and held on through the stretch and to the wire, defeating pocket-sitter Ucandoit Blue Chip (Scott Zeron) by a nose in 1:53. Turn On The Charm (Marcus Miller) rallied from second-over to be third, followed by Treacherous Penny (Andy McCarthy) and True Blue Hanover (Jason Bartlett).

"It was a good effort. She's a better chaser, but she's had a couple weeks now where she's been in front. She has great speed, and I guess when they have speed, the drivers utilize it. She was good," said winning trainer Brett Pelling. "I think her next race will be at Tioga, which is like two and a half weeks from now."

Pelling trains Earthwindfire, a daughter of American Ideal bred by Stephen Dey III, for owners Mel Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing. Earthwindfire has a record of 9-4-0 from 14 starts, pushed her earnings to $436,250 and paid $3.30 to win. She was atop an $8.40 exacta and a $25.20 trifecta.

--press release (Yonkers)--