STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33

Manalapan, NJ 07726

Phone: 732-462-2357

Fax: 732-409-0741

STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY

Representing the drivers, trainers, caretakers, breeders and owners of New Jersey

64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 

Phone: 732-462-2357 | Fax: 732-409-0741

BACK

CAPTAIN OPTIMISTIC, ARBITRAGE HANOVER TAKE GOLD IN NEW JERSEY CLASSIC COLT PACES

Frank Cotolo, for Meadowlands Media Relations • September 7, 2024

Captain Optimistic and driver Yannick Gingras, along with Arbitrage Hanover and driver Todd McCarthy, won their $150,000 New Jersey Classic Finals for 2- and 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, respectively, at The Meadowlands on Friday night (Sept. 6) ...

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- September 6, 2024 -- Captain Optimistic and driver Yannick Gingras, along with Arbitrage Hanover and driver Todd McCarthy, won their $150,000 New Jersey Classic Finals for 2- and 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, respectively, at The Meadowlands on Friday night (Sept. 6). 


Captain Optimistic, the prohibitive favorite at 1-9, floated off the gate and followed Tom Horn through the first turn and into a :26.3 first quarter. Tom Horn moved to the lead and past Manolete into the backstretch, leaving Captain Optimistic on the outside. 


First over and gliding, Gingras volleyed Captain Optimistic past Tom Horn and guided the field to the half in :55.1. 

"I didn't want to get to the lead," Gingras said after the race, "but he felt great and I didn't want to be stuck near the back." 


Todd McCarthy urged Manolete to challenge for the top again, passing Tom Horn and attempting to duel with Captain Optimistic as he clocked the 1:24.1 three-quarters. Captain Optimistic "responded well," said Gingras after the race, as the pair easily dismissed the challenge with a :26 final panel to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:50.1, a personal best. 


Manolete held second over a fast-closing Papis Pistol, who made up a lot of ground after being rough-gaited around the first turn and forced to retreat. Mccusker finished fourth.


Nancy Takter trains Captain Optimistic, a 2-year-old by Captaintreacherous out of the Art Official mare Cinamony. It was the fourth win in three first-season starts and it raised the colt's earnings to $103,665.


"The equipment changes worked well," Gingras said. "He was good in his mouth. He steered good and straight."

Fair Winds Farm bred the colt owned by 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz and Caviart Farms. The winner paid $2.20. 

In the New Jersey Classic Final for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, favorites Arbitrage Hanover and Wish You Well dominated around the two turns and against the six other sophomores, but gelding Arbitrage Hanover got the best of his major foe to win by a length in 1:50.2. 


Longshot Swimwiththecurrent managed the top spot going into the first turn, but was quickly confronted by Arbitrage Hanover and Wish You Well heading to a :27.4 first panel. Wish You Well landed on the lead in the backstretch with all happy to sit behind him, all except Todd McCarthy. Undaunted by his foe, McCarthy took to the outside and reclaimed control past a :55.4 half. 


Arbitrage Hanover remained on the muscle to three-quarters in 1:24.3 and continued with all four cylinders revving. McCarthy ghosted Wish You Well in the lane as Arbitrage Hanover won easily by a length in 1:50.2. Wish You Well settled for second and Swimwiththecurrent, the bettors’ third choice, completed the top three. Bettor Make A Wish, at 128-1, finished fourth. 


Trainer Brett Pelling said that Arbitrage Hanover "had some glitches at 2" but "we're super happy how he's come back [at 3]. We think he's nice enough to race at 4," Pelling said, noting that he won't be entered in this year's Breeders Crown.


Arbitrage Hanover is a son of Bettor's Wish out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Ana Hanover. Pelling Racing LLC, Rojan Stables and Bridle Path Stables LTD own Arbitrage Hanover, who paid $5.60 to win and raised his bankroll to $289,250.

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations July 20, 2025
Yo Tillie maintained her current standing as the top horse in her division and Onajetplane threw his hat into the ring as a Hambletonian contender Saturday night at The Meadowlands when four divisions of the Tompkins-Geers Stake were contested for 3-year-old trotters of each sex ...
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations July 19, 2025
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- July 18, 2025 -- Be Perfect BG made good on her name Friday night at The Meadowlands, remaining unbeaten in four lifetime starts after taking the lone filly pace when seven $25,000 divisions of the second leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds were contested for horses of each sex and gait ...
By Tim Bojarski, for Plainridge Park July 19, 2025
Twin B Joe Fresh, the 2024 Dan Patch Horse of the Year, will be making her first-ever appearance in Massachusetts on Sunday (July 20) when she ships to Plainridge Park to start in the $100,000 Grade 3 Clara Barton Distaff Pace ...
By Courtney Stafford July 18, 2025
The SBOANJ supplemental yearling nomination payments are due August 15th ...
By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations July 17, 2025
His horse didn’t cross the finish line first, but that was OK with trainer Cam Capone, whose Madden Oaks was placed first after Prince Hal Hanover was disqualified and placed second in Saturday (July 12) night’s $656,000 Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-olds at The Meadowlands ...
By Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager July 16, 2025
Twin B Joe Fresh pulled within six points of Louprint in the No. 1 spot and three fresh faces joined the Top 10 in the Week 5 edition of the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll released Wednesday ...
More Posts