Dual hemisphere success for Captain Crunch

It was a good weekend of results for Captain Crunch with a number of smart winners in North America and his first Group 1 performer in the Southern Hemisphere.

His best North American bred son, Gem Quality, made light work of his second assignment of 2024, easily sprinting home to take out a division of the Pennsylvania Sires Stakes Series at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

The Breeders Crown winning colt has now won six of his ten starts to date and banked over $490,000 in stakes earnings.

Another of his sons, McCrunch, became one of just a handful of 3-year-olds this season to take a sub 1:50 mark, defeating last yearʻs Governorʻs Cup winner Captain Luke in a career best 1:49.8 at The Meadowlands.

It was his fourth win from just six starts.

Captain Crunchʻs daughters were also to the fore, with Davenport and Classic Crunch both taking out legs of the Pennsylvania Stallion Series at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Down-under, he was represented by his first Group 1 place-getter, with the Robert and Jenna Dunn trained 2-year-old, Malakai, the runner up in the $100,000 New Zealand Welcome Stakes at Addington on Friday night.

Incredibly, Malakai became the fifth stakes performer for Captain Crunch in New Zealand from just ten first crop race day starters to date.

Across the Tasman, the filly Reds Ablaze continued her strong debut season, finishing second in the QBred Breeders Classic 2YO Fillies Final at Albion Park on Saturday night.