Capri delivers as favorite in St Leger Stakes

Capri gave trainer Aidan O’Brien his 18th Group 1 win of 2017 in Saturday’s $939,730 St Leger Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse, the final classic race for 3-year-olds in England this year.

Capri, the 3-1 favorite, gave O’Brien a fifth career win in the St Leger Stakes. It was the first win in the race for jockey Ryan Moore.

The winner of the Irish Derby on July 1, Capri was never far from the front against 10 rivals in the St Leger. Moore had Capri behind the leaders early in the race at 1 13/16 miles and took the lead with three furlongs remaining. Capri was fully extended to finish a half-length in front of Crystal Ocean, the 5-1 third choice.

Stradivarius, the winner of the Group 1 Goodwood Cup against older horses at two miles in August, finished third, a short head behind Crystal Ocean.

Capri, by Galileo, has won 5 of 10 starts for the Coolmore team of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Sue Magnier. Earlier this year, Capri was sixth in the Group 1 English Derby.

O’Brien is within range of the record of 25 Group 1 or Grade 1 wins in a season set by the late Bobby Frankel in 2003.

The trainer did not specify Capri’s next race. British bookmakers have listed Capri as a 20-1 shot for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly Racecourse in France on Oct. 1.