The Captain Hook
The highlight race in New York this weekend is the Captain Hook (G2). The race will be held over a mile and one eighth on the main dirt track, which is set to be listed as fast for this weekends race as clear skies will abound on Saturday for race day. The Grade II race is open to three-year-olds only and has attracted a full field of fourteen horses. None of the horses in the field this weekend has ever won a graded race, though several have placed in graded races in the past. Let’s take a look at t his years’ contenders.
1. Revive Me – (Congrats x Affirmed x Deputy Minister) – juventus1 – J. Benisz – 8/1
Drawing the rail for the Captain Hook this weekend, the three-year-old chestnut colt will be making the tenth lifetime start of his career this weekend. The Kentucky-bred colt made his most recent start in Arkansas during the Arkansas Juvenile (G1) over a mile and an eighth, which was a Bluegrass Derby lock prep race. Far off the pace early on at the start, the colt faded back as the field moved through the nine furlong race. He would eventually cross the wire in eleventh, twelve and a half lengths off the pace and recording a speed figure of ninety-six, any hopes of a Bluegrass Derby run being dashed. However before this attempt the colt placed second in both The Rebel Yell (G3) and The Saint Vincent (G2). His most recent win came in January across the country in California during an allowance race over six and a half furlongs. He was much closer to the pace in this race, settling just off of it in second, before taking over the lead in the stretch. This weekend the colt will probably be held off the pace early on to run as a late closer.
2. La Famiglia – (Curlin x Bernardini x Storm Cat) – frankster – V. Gardner – 10/1
Making her way back to the States this weekend after a start down in Mexico, the bay colt has made seven career starts to date, finishing off the board only once during his career. He is out of the graded placed broodmare Popthechampagne, and is the first to race from the broodmare. The colt made his most recent start in Mexico during the Vengeful Sea Dirt Route, a listed stakes race over a mile and one eighth. Being held off the main pace in a stalking position in fourth, the colt quickly started picking the horses off out in front of him and by the time he made it to the stretch was leading the rest of the field. The colt went on to win by two lengths, setting a speed figure of one hundred six. Prior to this the colt also consecutively won two allowance races and a maiden race. The colt will likely be forwardly placed this weekend, and could even possibly be the early pacesetter in the race.
3. Stracciatella – (Union Rags x Mr. Greeley x Wild Again) – capiatano2 – E. Lagrant – 8/1
Next up, another horse whose connections had Derby dreams early on, the three-year-old bay colt has made six career starts, won half of these starts and has finished off the board only once in his career. The Kentucky-bred colt is the first offspring out of the listed stakes winning broodmare Miss Wildskunk. The most recent start for the colt came in a Derby lock prep in the form of The Wooden Indian (G1) at a mile and one eighth here in New York. The colt broke mid-pack in the race and was held back in seventh early on but began to fade once the field reached the stretch. He crossed the wire in tenth, ten and a half lengths off the pace, and setting a speed figure of ninety-six. The most recent win for the colt was just in his prior start, which also came here in New York during the eight and a half furlong listed Strike A Boundary Dirt Route. The colt was up a little closer to the pace in this race, breaking in fifth, and began to make a move midway through the race in order to go on to win by one and three-quarter lengths. This weekend the colt will likely be placed mid-pack or possibly up closer to the pace stalking the front runners early.
4. Sqwalla Heist – (Bank Heist x Summer Squall x Crafty Prospector) – vulture – J. Piotrowski – 16/1
Making his stakes debut this weekend in the Captain Hook (G2) the three-year-old roan colt has previously been running in allowance races, most recently here in New York. The striking colt is out of the listed stakes winning broodmare Walla Woolu. With eight lifetime starts to date the colt has won half of his starts and has only finished off the board once during his career. The most recent start for the colt was here in New York during an eight and a half furlong allowance race. The colt broke out of the gate in sixth but quickly started to challenge other horses fairly early on in the race. The colt eventually wound up crossing the wire first, setting a speed figure of one hundred eight after winning the race by a margin of one and three-quarter lengths.
5. Sinnin And Grinnin – (Tapit x Thunder Gulch x Danzig) – eblouissante – D. Givins – 13/1
In the five slot on Saturday, the light gray colt has made five lifetime starts today and has never finished worse than third so far in his racing career. Like much of the field this weekend he will be making his graded stakes debut in the Captain Hook (G2) this weekend. The most recent start for the three-year-old was in Kansas during the Enough Come Dirt Route, a listed stakes race over nine and a half furlongs. Settling back mid-pack early on, the colt was asked to challenge the other horses midway through the race. The colt would go on to cross the wire in front by two and a half lengths and setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred three, winning his stakes debut. The colt will likely sit off the pace again towards the middle of the pack early on for the race this weekend as well, though it is possible he will be placed closer up towards the front as in previous starts.
6. Now Seek This – (Tiznow x Seeking The Gold x Storm Cat) – giantputz2 – J. Kirby – 8/1
Another colt making his graded stakes debut this weekend in the Captain Hook (G2), the colt has made eleven starts to date, making him one of the more seasoned horses in the field this weekend. Out of the listed stakes winning broodmare Storm Seeker, the light gray colt has won five of his eleven lifetime starts. The most recent start for the Kentucky-bred colt came here in New York during an eight and a quarter furlong allowance race. The colt settled back just off the pace in second early on and once the field came into the stretch overtook the former front runner and went on to win the race by two and quarter lengths; setting a speed figure of one hundred for the race. The colt made his last listed stakes start last December in Delaware during the DPCD XII 2yo Finale, a race in which he ultimately crossed the wire in ninth. However, the connections of the light gray colt are confident that he has improved since then and may be ready for a shot at graded competition. The colt will probably be held close to the front in the race this weekend, possibly around fourth or so out of the gate.
7. Serve Proudly – (To Honor And Serve x Rock Hard Ten x Rahy) – lawyerron – O. Brim – 15/1
Midway through the field, this brown colt has made seven career starts to date and is out of the broodmare Transgressions. Winning three times in his seven race career, the colt has earned just over $100,000 in career earnings. The colt will be making the second graded start of his career this weekend. The most recent start for the colt came in Louisiana over a mile allowance race. The colt went straight to the lead in the race and took the race in wire to wire fashion, winning by half a length with a speed figure of one hundred one. The only graded start to date for the Kentucky-bred colt was in The Rebel Yell (G3) over eight and a half furlongs in Arkansas. Breaking mid-pack, the colt faded and came home in fourteenth, a well beaten fourteen and a half lengths. If the colt is going to run well this weekend, he will likely be forwardly placed early on.
8. Making A Mess – (Petionville x Empire Maker x Capote) – delegend – A. Kelly – 19/1
Out of the allowance winning broodmare Kingdom Come, the three-year-old bay colt has made nine lifetime starts, winning twice in his career. The colt is a listed stakes winner and will be making the second graded start of his career this weekend in the Captain Hook. The most recent start for the colt was in a listed stakes race over nine and a half furlongs in Kansas in the Enough Come Dirt Route. Settling back in an early stalking position in fourth, the colt would challenge midway through the race and cross the finish line in second, two and a half lengths off the pace, while setting a speed figure of one hundred. The prior graded start for the colt was the mile long Atlantic City Futurity (G2), a race in which the colt would ultimately come home last across the wire. The most recent win for the colt was in January in a mile long allowance race over a sloppy dirt track. In the Captain Hook (G2) this weekend the colt will likely be forwardly placed early on, just off the pace of a few other horses out in front.
9. Tsr’s Fort Wayne – (Strong Hope x Fuji Kiseki x Distorted Humor) – indystack – T. Stack – 6/1
One of the colts that is graded placed but still looking for a graded victory, the brown colt is one of the more experienced three-year-olds in the field this weekend with a total of fifteen lifetime starts. The colt has won seven times in his career and is out of the broodmare Thunder In Japan. The most recent start for the colt came in Kentucky during the mile long Heat Less Stakes (G2). Breaking second and settling back behind the front runner, the colt managed to hold on for third at the wire, finishing two and a half lengths off the pace and setting a speed figure of one hundred six for the race. A month earlier the colt also came in fourth during the All Saints Derby, a Bluegrass Derby lock prep race. The most recent win for the colt was prior to this over a mile in Louisiana during the Captain Jim Dirt Special, a listed stakes race over a dirt track listed as good. The colt went wire to wire in this race, winning by one and a quarter lengths. The colt will likely be forwardly placed this weekend, and if unchallenged early on could also be a potential pacesetter out of the gate.
10. Minimum Fuss – (Distorted Humor x Unbridled x Nijinsky II) – muninn – A. Jolly – 9/1
Making his tenth career start this weekend from post ten, the Kentucky-bred colt has won three times in his nine race career, bringing home just over $120,000 in career earnings. The most recent start for the colt came overseas in Brazil during the Virtuoso Dirt Route, a listed stakes race at a mile and a quarter. The colt was slow out of the gate, setting far off the pace early on in eleventh. However, he slowly started to gain on the rest of the field pretty quickly, going on to win by two and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred six. Prior to this the colt also won an allowance race in Kentucky over nine and a half furlongs. The colt is a versatile runner and can run up front as the pacesetter or back at the rear of the field. He will probably be farther back at the start of the Captain Hook (G2) this weekend, likely running as a closer in similar fashion to his most recent start in Brazil.
11. Mustanfar Star – (Mustanfar x Saint Liam x Giant’s Causeway) – graywolf17 – J. Caves – 14/1
Finishing well off the board in his last three consecutive starts, this colt is the most experienced in the field with sixteen lifetime starts to date. The bay colt is out of the allowance winning broodmare Saints In Heaven. He himself has won four times in his career and is listed stakes placed but has so far been unsuccessful in the graded ranks. The most recent start for the colt was in Kentucky in the Bluegrass Derby Trial Stakes (G3) at a mile. Breaking well and settling into mid-pack early on in the race, the colt started to loose ground midway through the mile and crossed the wire in eleventh, six and a quarter lengths off the pace while setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. The most recent win for the colt was in October of last year across the country in California during an eight and a half furlong allowance race. The then two-year-old colt took this race in wire to wire fashion, winning by a head-bob at the finish. In the Captain Hook (G2) on Saturday, the colt will likely be placed mid-pack early on out of the gate.
12. Whiskey Pete – (Bernardini x Speightstown x Green Desert) – xica1 – W. Kewmwa – 7/1
Working our way towards the last of the field, this three-year-old bay colt is out of the listed stakes winning broodmare The One Ya Wanted. Winning two races out of a total of eleven lifetime starts to date, the colt is ranked #85 in his division and is graded placed, though still seeking his first stakes win off any kind. The most recent start for the colt was in the Arkansas Derby (G1), a lock prep for the Bluegrass Derby. At the break in that race the bay colt was last out of the gate and trailed the field early for much of the race. However as the field came into the stretch the colt was asked to move and made up a lot of ground, however he still came up a bit short when he crossed the wire in sixth, five and a half lengths off the pace. He set a speed figure of one hundred four for the race. The most recent win for the colt was last June as a two-year-old overseas in the United Arab Emirates. The colt broke out of the gate in the six furlong allowance race and hung back towards the latter half of the field before making his move in the stretch of the sloppy dirt track. He went on to win by two and a quarter lengths. This weekend the colt will likely be running as a closer early on, one of the last out of the gate at the start.
13. Andrew’s Impact (JPN) – (Deep Impact (JPN) x A.P. Indy x Northern Dancer) – montana10 – A. Scott – 8/1
The first of two Japanese-bred horses to go into the gate this weekend, the thee-year-old brown colt is fairly lightly raced at six career starts. Listed stakes placed in these six starts, the colt will be making his third graded start this weekend in the Captain Hook. The most recent start for the colt was in Louisiana during the mile and one eighth Eviscerator Stakes (G3). Out of the gate late in tenth and running as a closer early on, he started to slowly move forward when asked midway through the race, however he would still cross the wire five lengths behind in fourth, setting a speed figure of one hundred six. His only other graded start was a fifth place performance in The Risen Star (G3) a couple of months earlier. The most recent win for the colt was in his homeland of Japan during an eight and a half furlong allowance race. Closer to the pace in this race than in his more recent races, the colt won by two and a half lengths after sitting off the pace in mid-pack. This weekend in the Captain Hook he will probably be rated pretty far back off the leader, brining up the rear of the field and looking to close in on the front runners in the final furlongs.
14. Winning Symbol Ted (JPN) – (Symboli Kris S. x Vindication x Two Punch) – inabred – R. Rickford – 14/1
The last horse into the gate on Saturday, the second Japanese-bred will be starting from the far outside post position. The three-year-old brown colt has made six lifetime starts, winning twice, but never finishing off the board in his career. He is out of the broodmare Absolution. The most recent start for the colt came in the Sadlers Thorns Dirt Route, a listed stakes race over nine and a half furlongs. Breaking well and settling off the pace in second, the horse did fade in the stretch, ultimately crossing the wire in third, four and a half lengths off the pace while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. His most recent win came over a mile allowance race in Texas this past December as a two-year-old. Second early on out of the gate, he made a late move in the stretch and crossed the wire in front to win by a margin of a quarter of a length. He is going to want to be in a similar position this weekend, just off the pace of another horse or two out of the gate.