Captain Corey - 2021
Captain Corey sets sail to Hambletonian victory
by Mike Farrell
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Captain Corey dictated the fractions under intense pressure and pulled clear in the lane to win Saturday's (Aug. 7) $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Captain Corey beat Spy Booth by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51 despite trotting through a :26 opening quarter, the fastest opening fraction in the stakes’ 96-year history.
It gave trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt his second win in the classic for 3-year-old trotters. This time, there was no doubt about the outcome. No asterisk. No intervention by the judges.
Svanstedt got his first Hambletonian trophy in 2017 when Perfect Spirit was elevated to victory after What The Hill was disqualified for interference.
This time, Captain Corey took care of business with a determined effort. Svanstedt fired Captain Corey into the battle right from the start and soon had company in the form of Cuatro De Julio.
Driver Lucas Wallin looked to drop Cuatro De Julio into a pocket trip behind the leader, only to have Yannick Gingras, piloting Delayed Hanover for Svanstedt, close the hole.
Wallin has no choice but to continue the attack.
“He’s a good horse who will fight, but he was a strong horse today,” Svanstedt said.
That was an understatement. Cuatro De Julio pressed on, ensuring Captain Corey never had a breather around the second turn. After dispatching Cuatro De Julio at the top of the stretch, Captain Corey pulled clear and enjoyed open daylight in the march to the finish line.
“I was worried they were going to come from behind,” Svanstedt said.
Svanstedt looked over his shoulder several times in the lane, only to see nobody in range. Captain Corey was on his way.
Just as in last week’s elimination, Captain Corey was the boss right from the start. The win was eighth in 12 career starts for the son of Googoo Gaagaa who earned $500,000 for the ownership team of Svanstedt, SRF Stable, Knutsson Trotting and Midnight Sun Partners.
Earlier in the year, Svanstedt was concerned when Captain Corey went through a growth spurt that compromised his gait. Since then, the boy developed into a man, and a Hambletonian champion at that!
And the good news didn’t end there for the 62-year-old horseman from Sweden who is making his mark on North American trotting as Ambassador Hanover rallied from last to get third, giving Svanstedt a 1-3 finish. Since arriving in the U.S. in 2014, Svanstedt’s stable has earned over $30 million in purses.
Captain Corey paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.80 as the 13-10 favorite. Spy Booth, the longest shot in the race at 55-1, returned $28.40 and $14.60. Ambassador Hanover paid $13.60.
Stats, charts, info, indexes, pics, records, all compiled into 96 years of history!
2021 Finalists
Extras
| Chart | Driver/Trainer Bios |
Joe DeFrank: From Those Who knew Him Best
This is the first Hambletonian — or Hambletonian Day — where Joe DeFrank is no longer with us. The Hall Of Famer passed away Dec. 12, 2020. I didn't want to say "race secretary;" that would be like calling Wayne Gretzky a capable skater.
Delayed Hanover, Captain Corey win Hambletonian eliminations
July 31, 2021, by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
East Rutherford, NJ — Ake Svanstedt trainees won both of Saturday’s $50,000 Hambletonian Stakes eliminations for 3-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands Racetrack, with Delayed Hanover capturing the first division and Captain Corey taking the second.
Svanstedt saw three of his four elimination starters advance to the $1 million Hambletonian final on Aug. 7 at the Big M, as Ambassador Hanover joined his winning duo.
The top-five finishers from each elimination moved on to the final.
Nancy Takter also had a trio of finalists. Really Fast was second to Captain Corey while Locatelli and Spy Booth were fifth-place finishers in their respective elims.
Completing the group of 10 horses advancing to the final were Cuatro De Julio, who was runner-up to Delayed Hanover, plus Sonofamistery, Venerate, and Take All Comers.
Elimination winners will draw for post positions one through five. The remaining finalists will go in an open draw after the elimination winners receive their post.
Post positions for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks finals will be drawn at 1 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 3) on Meadowlands Facebook live. Both finals will air live from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Hambletonian Day (Aug. 7) on CBS Sports Network. First-race post time on Hambletonian Day is noon.
In the first elimination, Delayed Hanover won by two lengths over Cuatro De Julio in 1:51.1. Ambassador Hanover, Sonofamistery, and Spy Booth completed the top-five finishers advancing to the Hambletonian final.
Dancinginthedark M, the 4-5 favorite, went off stride on the final turn. Zenith Stride, last year’s Peter Haughton Memorial winner, also made a break. On A Streak, the 2020 O’Brien Award winner from Canada, was scratched sick.
Ambassador Hanover led to the first quarter in :27.2 before Cuatro De Julio was put in motion and grabbed the lead in a :55.1 half. Cuatro De Julio stayed on top through three-quarters, reached in 1:22.4, but was unable to hold off Delayed Hanover in the stretch.
Dexter Dunn drove Delayed Hanover, who was third for most of the mile, for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Ambassador Hanover also is trained by Svanstedt, who handled the driving behind that colt.
“The pace was strong enough; I was happy where I was, we had a good spot there,” Dunn said. “(Dancinginthedark M) was outside of us on the last turn and made a break, so we had clear air. We followed (Ambassador Hanover) out in the straight and it felt like he was full of trot. When I moved him over, he certainly was. He showed a lot of speed.”
Delayed Hanover has won three of five races this year and four of 12 lifetime, earning nearly $260,000. He is owned by Mellby Gard Inc. and Ake Svanstedt Inc. He was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.
Sent off at 6-1, Delayed Hanover paid $14.80 to win.
In the second elimination, Svanstedt-driven Captain Corey got the lead from stablemate Johan Palema in a :27.3 opening quarter and never looked back. He set fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.4 on his way to victory in 1:51.2. Really Fast, the 7-5 favorite, was second followed by Venerate, Take All Comers, and Locatelli.
“I didn’t pull up and everybody knows I have a good horse,” Svanstedt said about setting the tone with Captain Corey. “He raced (1):50.3 his last start, so he’s a good horse. He was the same today. I hope he can be even better with week-to-week races.”
Captain Corey is owned by S R F Stable, Knutsson Trotting Inc., Midnight Sun Partners Inc., and Ake Svanstedt Inc. The son of Googoo Gaagaa-Luv U All was bred by Carter Duer. He has won two of four races this year and seven of 11 lifetime, with career earnings of more than $400,000.
Sent off at 6-1, Captain Corey paid $15.40 to win.
SATURDAY | Elim night | 7/31
Power rankings
Ken Warkentin’s Top 10 - Week 11
Champions
95 Winners on the Silver Trophy
Videos
Hambletonian Week Showcases Lasting Legacy of Hall of Famer Joe DeFrank
In 1975, Joe DeFrank was hired by the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority to shape the future of harness racing in the multi-million sports complex planned for the swamps of Jersey
other Events
News
Watch live!!!!
