by Debbie Little

Captain’s Quarters had to navigate through some rough seas leading up to last Saturday’s (July 6) Meadowlands Pace eliminations, but his connections hope for smooth sailing in tomorrow night’s (July 13) $650,000 final at The Meadowlands.

Trained by Herb Holland and driven by Jody Jamieson, Captain’s Quarters finished fourth in his Pace elimination, two lengths behind winner Legendary Hanover. Legendary Hanover came home in an impressive :24.4, just one tick off the fastest final quarter in Meadowlands history.

Despite not hitting the board, Captain’s Quarters also came home in :24.4, which looks even more impressive once you know his backstory.

“The colt didn’t have a good week [leading up to the Pace elims],” Holland said. “He actually kicked through the bars of the stall and when we came in and fed, the bar was down and his leg was caught in it. So, I wasn’t even sure he was going to make it to The Meadowlands.

“His week was very light and a lot of hosing. I mean, he went into the race, I would say about 70 per cent of what I would like to have been and for him to race the way he did, coming a half in :52 and [a final quarter in] :24.4, I think it was phenomenal.”

The situation with Captain’s Quarters was serious enough that Holland considered scratching him from the Meadowlands Pace elims.

“It was Tuesday morning [July 2]. I already had him entered [in the Pace elims], and I went to [Woodbine Mohawk Park] at 6 a.m. and had my vet watch him,” Holland said. “We ultra-sounded him because if there were any issues that came up at all, I was scratching him, and that was Tuesday morning.”

With a thumbs up from his vet and a good ultra-sound, Holland had a conversation with Captain’s Quarters’ owner Rich Stiles and they decided to ship down to The Meadowlands on Wednesday (July 3) for the Pace elims.

Before the elims, Holland made sure that his horse’s bad week was front and center in his driver’s mind.

“I reminded Jody of that when he went out on the track,” Holland said. “‘Remember, he didn’t have a good week.’ I said, ‘I don’t want him first up and I don’t want him on the front.’

“And, so I know some guy gave Jody a little critiquing for not moving when the fractions were slow, but that was my call, not his.”

In the simplest of terms, the current Meadowlands Post Position Formula, which went into effect for the Pace in 2022, rewards horses based on where they finish in the eliminations, allowing them to draw for better posts. As a fourth-place finisher, Captain’s Quarters got the worst post possible available, since he drew for post 9 and down eliminating positions already selected.

“I mean, we’ll see what he’s made of, I guess,” Jamieson said after finding out Captain’s Quarters drew post 9 for the final. “It’s disappointing that you draw bad, but I mean, you take your lumps with your results in the elim. If you win your elim you get a good post and you have to race a little harder. But maybe we’ll have a little extra in the tank if we go a half in :52 or :53 or something like that. I guess it remains to be seen, but definitely strategy will change.”

Neither Holland or Jamieson were aware of the Meadowlands Post Position Formula until someone told them after the Pace eliminations, but considering the week that Captain’s Quarters had, and how Jamieson was asked to drive him, it seems unlikely the outcome would have been much different.

When you look at the fact that prior to his Pace elimination, Captain’s Quarters hadn’t raced since his second-place finish in the Pepsi North America Cup to Nijinsky on June 15, it’s understandable why Holland thinks of him the way he does.

“After three weeks off, for him to go race like he did [in the Pace elims], because I wasn’t able to train him, that’s why I’m still very confident,” Holland said. “I think before the end of the year shows up, I think he’ll just step up and people will see that he is the best colt. I really believe that.”

When asked if he was surprised to see so many Canadian horses and drivers in this this year’s Pace final, Jamieson said, “No, I mean, obviously, I think the best of the best are Canadians with hockey and horse racing, so, no, I’m not surprised at all.

“I mean, He’s Watching [sire of Funtime Bayama] and Bettors Delight [sire of Nijinsky], they’re both past Meadowlands Pace winners. My horse is a Captaintreacherous trained by a Canadian and driven by a Canadian. I’m not surprised at all. With all due respect, I think it’s a silly question.”

When it was explained to Jamieson that statistics would show that having four horses — Captain’s Quarters, Funtime Bayama, Legendary Hanover and Nijinsky — in the 10-horse Pace final that raced the majority of their careers in Canada is a rarity, he said, “I think you’re right. I’m not sure what the reasoning is, but lots of times Canadian people aren’t paying their horses into the Meadowlands Pace.

“But I think Doc [Ian] Moore kind of started doing that a little more and you saw that you could go down there and make money and I think that helped people or changed people’s minds. Two Ontario Sires Stakes horses eligible [to the Pace], it’s a rarity. I get what you’re saying.”

Jamieson did stand by his quote about hockey and horse racing.

“The greatest hockey player ever was Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux or Bobby Orr, whoever you want to argue about,” Jamieson said. “The greatest driver ever was John Campbell. Two of the best drivers in the world right now are Yanick Gingras and Scott Zeron. Mark MacDonald has won the Meadowlands Pace; he’s Canadian.

“Now we have four drivers invading The Meadowlands on Saturday night for their biggest night. Obviously, we’re used to seeing The Meadowlands drivers invade Woodbine [Mohawk Park], but, for whatever reason, maybe there’s a changing of the tide. Who knows?

“And I think there’s an unspoken bias about the people who race in the U.S. full-time. And that’s why people like Mark MacDonald, Yannick, Scott Zeron, even John Campbell went to the U.S.; in lots of ways for opportunity, but also to prove themselves, because that’s where you go to prove yourself. So, I think, you know, it’s a bit of a changing of the tide there where maybe you don’t have to go there now to prove yourself. You can just go down there and win those biggest races.”

Captain’s Quarters has raced against the other Canadian horses on more than one occasion but Jamieson didn’t think that was what might give him an edge.

“I’ll tell you what, I think I have an advantage because I’m driving Captain’s Quarters and I think he’s all world,” Jamieson said. “Whether he’ll prove it on Saturday will remain to be seen. But my advantage lies in the horse that I’m driving and I’ll be honest, I know it sucks to have the 9-hole but, I don’t think I would trade him.”

Holland is optimistic for Captain’s Quarters chances in the Pace final since on Tuesday, he said the colt was probably up to about 85 per cent.

“I think we’ve got a few more things we’ve got to do to him,” Holland said. “He’s got a few muscles that are a little sore, so we’re going to do some massage and acupuncture and I think come race time, I don’t know if he’ll be 100, but he’ll be 90 per cent for sure.

“I can tell you this, even though we got the 9-hole, they’ll know he’s in the race.”