Favourites prevail in Metro eliminations

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MILTON, Ontario September 15, 2018 – Captain Ahab and Stag Party punched their ticket to next week’s $890,000 Metro Pace final with impressive victories in Saturday evening’s eliminations at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

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A group of 17 two-year-old pacing colts and geldings were split into a pair of $40,000 eliminations.

Captain Ahab will head into the Metro Pace final a perfect seven for seven after winning his elimination in 1:50.4 for driver Andrew McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna.

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A son of Captaintreacherous, Captain Ahab got away fourth in a field of eight and watched Captain Crunch cut an opening-quarter of :26.3. McCarthy sent ‘Ahab’ after the lead in the second-quarter, clearing to the top at a :55 half.

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Captain Ahab paced his third-quarter in :27.4 with first-up pressure from Lyons Night Hawk and the six for seven De Los Cielos Deo sitting second-over.

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In the stretch, Captain Ahab finished his mile with a :28 final-quarter to secure the victory. De Los Cielos Deo paced into second, getting to the leader’s wheel at the wire. Goldberg finished third, while Lyons Night Hawk was fourth.
The final ticket to next week’s final was grabbed by Better Up.

 

Captain Ahab established a new career-mark with the 1:50.4 victory and has now earned $137,616 for owners Brittany Farms LLC, Brad Grant, Vince Barbera and Captain Ahab Racing. A $100,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Captain Ahab will head into the Metro Pace undefeated and as the likely favourite. The Alagna trainee has collected five of his seven wins at Mohawk Park.

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Captain Ahab crushes in Dream Maker final

 

MILTON, Ontario – August 13, 2018 – Captain Ahab remained undefeated with a dominating performance in Monday's $39,000 Dream Maker Series final at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

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A full field of 10 rookie pacing colts and geldings squared off in the finale of the three-week event. Captain Ahab went off as the 3/5 favourite, as he entered the final undefeated in three starts, including a convincing first leg score.

The Tony Alagna trained son of Captaintreacherous was to team up with driver Andrew McCarthy, but travel issues for McCarthy led to veteran reinsman Paul MacDonell picking up the assignment.

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Best In Show got the affair rolling by storming out to the lead and posting a :27 opener. A charged-up Shipshape sat in the pocket, while stablemate Captain Ahab got away third. The heavy-favourite got his cue from MacDonell entering the backstretch and made an effortless move to the lead, pacing by the half in :55.1. Despite Captain Ahab rolling right along on the lead, several of the rookies got jammed up entering the far turn.

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Blank Canvas, who was also undefeated entering Monday's final, moved to the outside from sixth before the half and came with a hard first-up attack at the leader on the far turn. The undefeated rookies were side by side at three-quarters in 1:23.3.Captain Ahab didn't shy away from the pressure and instead stepped his game up a level.

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The Alagna student put away Blank Canvas at the top of the lane and proceeded to pull away from his rivals with ease to win by 3¾ lengths in a career-best equaling 1:51.1. Best In Show finished second, while Captain Nash was third. Blank Canvas dropped back to finish eighth. "I just barely scratched the surface here tonight," said MacDonell post-race. "There was so much left in the tank and he does it so easy. He's got a great future."

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A $100,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase, Captain Ahab is currently the top colt from sire Captaintreacherous' first crop of two-year-olds. The undefeated rookie is the second foal, first colt, out of Western Ideal mare Acquavella, who is a full-sister to 2014 Metro Pace champion Artspeak.

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