He’s the captain now in Indiana Sires Stakes action. Swan Captain, driven by John DeLong, turned in a commanding performance to win a division of the $48,500 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings Thursday, Aug. 25 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Swan Captain and John DeLong move up the inside to score the win in Indiana Sires Stakes action for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Thursday, Aug. 25. Photo by Dean Gillette
Swan Captain began his assignment from post three and got away fourth as Dover in Motion and Ricky Macomber Jr. rallied out to an open length advantage early on, posting fractions of :27.0 and :54.0. Race favorite Adamsville Road and Trace Tetrick sat right behind the lead and very little movement was detected until the final turn when Yo Mister and Verlin Yoder tipped to the outside.
In the stretch, Swan Captain began gaining ground on the inside toward the leaders and once he had trotting room, he hit another gear to win by three lengths over Dover in Motion. Yo Mister finished third. The time of the mile was 1:52.1, a new career best for Swan Captain.
A longshot in the race, Swan Captain paid $16.00 for the win. The Swan for All sophomore is owned by William DeLong, William Patrick DeLong and Gordon Wright. Oakwood Farms bred the gelding, who earned his fourth win of the year for trainer Roger Welch. To date, Swan Captain has more than $165,000 in career earnings with four of his five career wins taken this year.
Swan Captain was the second highest yearling sold by Swan for All in 2020. He brought $100,000 through the sales ring. He is out of the 100 percent producing Muscles Yankee mare Yoga, who has also produced Warrior One, who has a mark of 1:51.4 and more than $481,000 and still racing. She is also the dam of Shishito with a mark of 1:52.2 and more than $325,000.
The second division of the Indiana Sires Stakes for sophomore trotting colts and geldings featured the undefeated Ponda Adventure, who added another win to his credentials. Now eight for eight in 2022, the Erv Miller trained Swan for All son was guided to victory by Trace Tetrick in a time of 1:53.1. Swan Flyer and Jay Cross were second followed by Iwon’t Backdown AS and Tony Hall for third in the gate to wire performance by Ponda Adventure.
Ponda Adventure now has 16 career wins in 18 career starts. His best time of 1:52.4 was taken earlier this summer. His latest win pushed his career bankroll to more than $450,000 for owners Engel Stable of IL, Louis Willinger of Kentucky and Jerry Graham of Illinois. Pond-A-Acres bred the talented trotter. The farm has a yearling colt by Helpisontheway named Ponda Marshall to sell this fall.