From HarnessLink (Ray Cotolo & James Witherite, published 4 July 2026)
Captain Optimistic continued in his comeback season from the breeding shed with a front-stepping win in the Graduate Series Pace to equal the fastest mile paced in North America this season.
Leaving from post 5, driver Scott Zeron sent the Nancy Takter trainee to the top through a :26.2 first quarter and stayed on the motor for the rest of the mile. Go Go Grasshopper, parked from the start, tried to push up the rim to a :53.3 half but Captain Optimistic chugged along with speed that spun his rivals wheels as he opened his advantage to three-quarters in 1:19.4. Captain Optimistic charged through the lane under steady Zeron encouragement to post a 3-3/4-length win in a lifetime-best 1:46.3 mile, equaling the North American season’s mark set one race prior by Ervin Hanover in the Dave Brower Memorial.
Prince Hal Hanover sat third at the pylons around the track and grabbed second from pocket-chaser Swingtown while Sugar Man stormed down the center of the track for fourth.
“He’s matured a lot, I think that’s mostly what’s been the difference this year,” Nancy Takter said after the race. “He obviously grew up, filled out and got stronger. He was always a big boy and I think just getting stronger and being able to carry his speed has helped him a lot. The horse has been super all year – he’s bred mares this spring – and he’s just shown up in top form. Hopefully a lot of mares got in foal and hopefully those owners that bred their mares to him are going to be real excited in the spring next year when they have a baby by him.”
A 4-year-old stallion by Captaintreacherous-Cinamony, Captain Optimistic won his third race from five starts this season and his 15th race from 36 starts in his career, earning $1,302,257. He’s owned by the Captain Optimistic Syndicate and paid $7.40 to win.
A mid-race give-and-go proved the winning strategy for Pollack Racing’s Ervin Hanover, who powered to a 1:46.3 score — the fastest mile ever by a male pacer at least 5 years old at the Meadowlands — in the Grade 3 $168,100 Dave Brower Memorial on Saturday (July 4).
Ervin Hanover and driver Dexter Dunn were unhurried in the race’s early stages, stalking from fourth as Crack Shot (driven by Doug McNair) and Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras) tussled through a :26.1 first quarter. Reaching the backstretch, Bythemissal yielded control to Crack Shot, and Ervin Hanover continued up to a brief lead off Crack Shot’s cover before ceding control to Ken Hanover (Tim Tetrick) just past the :53.2 half.
On the far turn, Ken Hanover and Ervin Hanover continued one-two as Oakwood Ardan IR (James MacDonald) attempted in vain to gain ground on the outside through a punishing :26.2 third quarter. Dunn popped the pocket with Ervin Hanover off the corner for home, and the 6-year-old Captaintreacherous-Eloquent Grace entire struck the front in mid-stretch and drew off on his own to win by 2 lengths.Oakwood Ardan IR stayed on well in the breeze to save second; Coaches Corner (Jason Bartlett) lunged off Oakwood Ardan IR’s cover to narrowly miss the runner-up spot. Ken Hanover faded late after giving way and finished fourth.
“He’s just in top form; I think he’s as good as he’s ever been,” said trainer Dave Menary of Ervin Hanover, who recorded his first-ever Meadowlands win after failing to convert in his first eight starts over the one-mile oval. “Hopefully his next eight starts (at the Meadowlands) are better than his last eight starts.”
Now three-for-three this season after also winning an Open Pace and the Grade 3 Mohawk Gold Cup at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Ervin Hanover has won 29 of his 78 career starts and earned $1,440,033 to date.
“I think he’s as sharp as he’s ever been,” continued Menary. “We tried to start him a little later and keep the traveling down (this season) until now, and so far it’s paid off.”
Ervin Hanover’s 1:46.3 mile knocked a fifth of a second off the previous track record for 5-year-old and older pacing horses of 1:46.4, which Catch The Fire had set in 2022.
