Captain Cook looked the part of a triple crown candidate when he achieved a 2 1/4 length victory in the $ 250,000 Withes Stakes, a 1 1/8 miles test for 3 year senior on February 1st On the Aqueduct racing route. He overcame a broad journey and parked a stretch of 33-1 Longshot Surfside Moon to conquer the dilutions in his debut.
“He did the job properly. He went for three wide curves. He didn't break sharply, but it was his first time by two rounds and a mile and one eighth,” said coach Rick Dutrow jr ..
Perhaps coach Rick Dutrow Jr. will concentrate on the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve in two months as Wood Memorial Stakes in class 2 on April 5th on the aqueduct.
“It feels good that we can lead him to another great commitment for his next start. I don't think of the derby yet,” said Dutrow. “We are very satisfied with him.”
The victory enabled Captain Cook 20 qualification points on the street to the Kentucky Derby. With the Dutrow, the wood (100-50-25-15-15 Kentucky Derby Qualifying Points) aimed for the next start of the Colt, a first or second one to exist on the first Saturday in May for his first Kentucky in Churchill Downs to return Derby since 2010.
“We are very elated to run him back in the forest,” said Dutrow, who won the Kentucky Derby with Huge Brown in 2008. “That is what I think the next reasonable place. It is a lot of time he likes.”
At Churchill Downs in his career debut, Captain Cook took sixth place for various connections. He joined the Dutrow barn for the owner St. Elias Stall for his second start, which led to a 9 1/4 length number in a Maiden race on December 28th over a sloppy surface on Huge A..
In the Withers, Captain Cook with Manny Franco on board in third place when uncle Jim released early breaks of: 24.11 and: 49.13. Captain Cook made a mighty way to get home. The only tardy offer from Surfside Moon, who looked at the top of the route, but could not keep up in the last Furlong.
Surfside Moon, trained by James Lawrence II, was second and received 10 Kentucky Derby points. Omaha Omaha, who was trained by Michael Gorham, gathered after a snail-paced start to end 6 1/2 lengths in third place. He scored six points and now has 11.
Captain Cook (4.90 USD), the 7-5 favorite, won in a time of 1: 51.83.
