by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Although Keith Primeau hung up his skates on a glorious NHL career after numerous concussions which forced an early retirement, his namesake Captain Primeau carries his name into battle. The 4-year-old son of Enjoy Lavec heads into Sunday’s (June 29) $41,400 Royal Motors Trotting Series Final in only his third start of the season for owners and breeders Conny and Anna Svensson.

However there were questions not too long ago as to whether or not the “Captain” would have to hang up his own shoes on a short career.

“We were heading into the Green Acres at Freehold in September and I went to check on him around 9:00 p.m., but he wasn’t being himself,” said Anna Svensson. “We called the vet and had him treated but he was getting no better, so we stayed up all night walking him to see if he would come out of it. We decided he was getting no better and had to take him to Mid-Atlantic Equine Center. He underwent colic surgery, and was on stall rest for 30 days. The vet told us it would take six months for his stomach muscles to totally recover so we brought him back easy and it looks to have paid off.”

Captain Primeau was a homebred colt out of the dam Lizzie Lee Brook who has had one other foal, also named after a Philadelphia Flyer. Brind’amour was named after former Flyer center Rod Brind’Amour.

Anna’s husband Conny, who trains the horse, is a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan and was originally going to name the colt Primeau, but their daughter Sarah said that the star on his forehead resembled a “C” and suggested the name Captain Primeau.

The Svenssons have been lucky enough to stay in contact by e-mail with Keith Primeau, who also enjoys watching Captain Primeau race whenever he gets the chance.

As a 2-year-old training down, Captain Primeau was uninterested in his work and was constantly making breaks for the Svenssons. They asked Jimmy Takter to train the horse for them and although he still made breaks Jimmy said there was something about the horse that he liked.

So Conny and Anna continued on with him, entering him in a qualifier at Freehold with Jeff Gregory up. Captain Primeau made another break around the second turn. When Jeff Gregory brought him back to the paddock he said that he really liked the horse, although Anna said she didn’t know what there was to like after that performance.

With Captain Primeau breaking his lifetime mark in his first start of 2008 at Tioga Downs, it looks like the patience is paying off for the Svenssons.

Captain Primeau will leave from post position three for the third week in a row on Sunday afternoon, and is slated as the 5-1 third choice.

Anna, commenting on his latest training session on Wednesday, June 25, stated that he had never felt better in the light training since they’ve had him.

The $41,400 Royal Motors Trotting Series is the only paid into event of the year for Captain Primeau and in Anna’s words, “This is our Hambletonian on Sunday.”

Tioga Downs will also host the $80,000 Rags to Riches final and the $36,200 Tioga State Bank Pace on Sunday afternoon with a post time of 1:15 p.m. For more information on Tioga Downs please visit www.tiogadowns.com or call 1-888-WIN-TIOGA.