Capo Kane cuts back to one-turn mile in Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - That Harold Wyner is cutting Capo Kane back to a one-turn mile in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct doesn’t mean he’s giving up on trying to get to the Kentucky Derby.

“I still believe he’s a horse that can go a mile and an eighth, mile and a quarter,” Wyner said Sunday.

Capo Kane, who won the one-mile Jerome Stakes here on New Year’s Day, will look to rebound from a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Withers when he starts in the Gotham. The top four finishers in the Gotham earn qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

Wyner said Capo Kane might have been a short horse in the Withers due to missed training time due to poor track conditions at Parx, where the horse is based.

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“I missed five days of training, missed a breeze going into the Withers, I didn’t have him 100 percent tight,” Wyner said.

Despite working around more winter weather, Wyner has gotten two strong works into Capo Kane since the Withers, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.21 at Parx last Friday. Wyner said he put Capo Kane behind horses for that breeze. The horse who has mostly been in front early in his races took the dirt well and galloped out strong, Wyner said.

“I want to make sure he’s 100 percent tight for this race,” Wyner said. “I’ve been able to train him the way I wanted to train and spaced his breezes out the way I wanted.”

Entries for the Gotham are to be taken Wednesday. There remain four confirmed starters in Capo Kane (Dylan Davis), Freedom Fighter (Manny Franco), Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano) and Wipe the Slate (Kendrick Carmouche).

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said he would run either Awesome Gerry or Irish Honor, both of whom worked Sunday at Gulfstream Park. Smiley Sobotka, Weyburn and The Reds are also possible.