by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Delaware, OH — Im Your Captain and driver Andy Miller made a four-wide move coming off the final turn and chased down Hill Street in deep stretch to win Thursday’s (Sept. 20) $111,075 Old Oaken Bucket for 3-year-old male trotters by a nose in 1:55.2 at the Delaware County Fair. Maxus finished third.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Im Your Captain captures the Old Oaken Bucket in 1:55.2 on Thursday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair.

Treasured Tee went to the lead at the start of the race and held the top spot through an opening-quarter mile of :28 and half of :57.4. Im Your Captain was second, but found himself locked inside when Hill Street made a first-over challenge followed by Maxus.

Hill Street was alongside Treasured Tee as they reached three-quarters in 1:26.1. On the final turn, Maxus went three-wide while Hill Street and Treasured Tee continued their battle for the lead. Hill Street, who raced on the outside for more than half the race, finally passed Treasured Tee heading into the stretch, but was unable to fend off Im Your Captain after he circled the group and came flying down the middle of the track.

“He was loaded the whole way,” Miller said. “I thought (Treasured Tee) would have a little more go than he did and he came up pretty empty. I had (Hill Street) and (Maxus) outside of me, so I was kind of in a tough spot there coming around the last turn. But when I got him out in the middle of the racetrack in the lane he just took off.”

Im Your Captain, trained by Julie Miller, is owned by Andy Miller Stable and Black Horse Racing. The colt is a son of Muscle Hill out of Frisky Strike and was bred by Black Horse Racing.

For the year, Im Your Captain has won five of 14 races and earned $127,023. He has won seven of 22 career starts and $170,928.

Im Your Captain, who was the 7-5 favorite, paid $4.80 to win.