Paynter’s Pirate Junction wins stakes debut

Paynter, the leading Fifth-Crop sire of 2021, got his latest stakes winner Saturday in the $75,000 Charles Taylor S. when 3-year-old Pirate Junction won his stakes debut.

Paynter now has seven black type winners this year and 12 stakes horses total. His progeny earnings exceed $8.5 million, more than double any North American stallion on the list.

Pirate Junction made it three wins in a row with Saturday’s front-running tally. Pressed the entire 1 1/16-mile trip, the bay sophomore won by a half-length over Canoodling.

The winner is owned by John Sena, Charles Strandberg, and Maureen & Leroy Fincher. He has four wins from eight starts and has earned $109,282.

Bred by Tom Durant and out of Thunder Shower, Pirate Junction is from the family of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Boston Harbor.