Perseverance, pedigree and tears 

How Captain Naughty earned his shot at Hambletonian glory 

by James Platz

“Well, we’re exhausted, relieved, and excited… Tears were flowing and we’ve got one in the Hambo.”

Less than 24 hours after homebred trotting colt Captain Naughty finished fourth in his respective Grade 1 Hambletonian elimination at The Meadowlands last Saturday (Aug. 1), Jeff Edwards reflected on the emotions of the moment and qualifying for Saturday’s (Aug. 8) final. The long-time trainer, together with his wife, Denise Dennis, have long participated in the sport hoping to reach the pinnacle. Tomorrow they will do so with a homebred that has ties to the sport’s biggest race.

“He’s like your child or grandchild,” Edwards said. “You know, it’s such a great feeling. It’s really hard to express except when you watch your kids or your grandkids.”

Winless in five previous seasonal starts, Captain Naughty needed a strong performance to race his way into the Hambletonian’s 101st edition. It wasn’t a given considering the Captain Corey colt had only managed two runner-up efforts this season.

“We’ve been battling this horse all year long, not being able to get his blood work right the way that we knew it had to be,” said Edwards. “And we were getting closer. We were drawing blood every week. Things would go better and then things would go wrong, and things would go better. After that horse qualified, we knew that we had his blood work right.”

The qualifier of note was a July 24 contest at The Meadowlands. Edwards sent the colt to trainer Per Engblom, and under his care, Captain Naughty and driver Jason Bartlett wired a group that included Voguish and Ardonne. The sophomore stopped the clock in 1:52, the best mile of his career.

That effort gave the couple reason for optimism heading into the $100,175 elimination. Their homebred still faced a tough challenge drawing in against Dan Patch Award winner Apex, Endurance, American Power and other top 3 year olds. It was up to Captain Naughty to earn his way in, and he did just that.

Drawing post 2, Bartlett placed Captain Naughty near the lead early and the pair were shuffled to mid-pack racing along the pylons. Sixth at the top of the stretch, the 50-1 shot dug in and kicked home in :26.4, closing with every stride all the way to the wire. Edwards watched at home while Dennis witnessed the race in person.

“He left like we knew he could do,” Edwards said. “Then he started getting the shuffle. And then Denise, I’m sure she was getting nervous. I know past the half, I was getting nervous. I was ready to do one of my dad’s favorite moves and take my program and throw it on the floor. And lo and behold, he was able to get that horse and show him some daylight. And that horse responded like a good horse should, because he didn’t have to. That horse could have given up like some of those others did in the race. But that horse showed all the determination. You know, this horse loves what he’s doing. And he showed it.”

The story of Captain Naughty, Edwards and Dennis is one of perseverance. It is also one closely tied to the late Ralph Wilfong. In his day, Wilfong was a major proponent of harness racing in the Hoosier State. He was highly instrumental in pari-mutuel racing being approved in Indiana, and he owned Trotter Range, known for its breeding and racing operation.

“Ralph helped me get into the business,” Edwards said. “His original farm was right down the road where I went to high school in Hancock County. And he knew my parents. In 1977, we got out of the pony business and started buying standardbreds.”

Wilfong’s Trotter Range was known for producing talent with an aim for the Grand Circuit. His aspirations resulted in a Hambletonian finalist of his own in 1995, and a bloodline that has produced yet another Hambletonian contender. Super Star Ranger finished seventh in the final won by Tagliabue. After his death, Edwards attempted to buy Super Star Ranger at auction but was outbid. He would end up purchasing Scramble Ranger, a stallion out of the sister to the dam of Super Star Ranger. Edwards and Dennis bred Pine Chip mare Ms Naughty Pine to Scramble Ranger.

“It’s been four generations now since we bought the first mare that they could not even get into the Tattersalls sale ring,” he said. “She was so mean and nasty that they couldn’t get her in, and they knew that we were trying to buy Pine Chip fillies to breed. 

“The bid spotter walked up into the stands, looked right at Denise and I and said, ‘Would you bid on this horse?’ They hammered her down immediately because they didn’t want anybody to get hurt. She never even made it into the ring there.”

Ms Naughty Pine made one career start before being bred. With eight foals to her credit, her greatest accomplishment as a broodmare was Msnaughtybynature. The 22-time winner was purchased by Peter and Melanie Wrenn early in her freshman campaign, then went on to win over $600,000. Her full-sister, Msnaughtybutnice, is the only other mare out of the dam, and the couple kept her as a broodmare after a racing career marked by one win.

Msnaughtybutnice has four winners to her credit, the most prolific being 11-time winner Msnaughtyashill. The Muscle Hill mare took her 1:53.4 mark at age four, earning $156,220 in her career. 

“I raced her and she really showed a lot of talent,” said the trainer.

Msnaughtyashill has quickly produced as a broodmare, foaling three winners, the second being Captain Naughty. Thirty-one years after Super Star Ranger’s Hambletonian performance, a colt whose lineage ties back to the same family, and Ralph Wilfong’s racing empire, will line up behind the starting gate.

“I texted Brett (Wilfong), who would be his nephew, and I said, ‘Ralph is smiling down upon us’ because that colt made it into the final,” said Edwards. “He texted me back with a big smiley face. He said, ‘Jeff, I’m sure he is.’”

A dream realized for a couple with Midwest roots operating a modest breeding program and racing stable.

“The biggest thing is, we didn’t buy this horse, we bred him,” Edwards said. “We’re just a small stable. We’ve been breeding for a quarter of a century. We only breed a handful of mares.”

Captain Naughty has defied the odds. He is one of 10 sophomore trotters set to battle for the sport’s most distinguished prize. He will start from post 5, and has picked up the services of Brett Beckwith.

“Win, lose, or draw, he will not be an embarrassment because of the way he raced (in the elimination),” he said. “It’s all good and we’re very proud.”

The pairing is 15-1 in the morning line. Edwards and Dennis will be on hand for the final, joined by a large contingent including friends and family. It will be the experience of a lifetime, and one they dared to dream. Captain Naughty enters the race fresh off a career effort. Saturday, he could make dreams a reality.