Capulet gets back to synthetic, leads Cardinal Stakes at Chelmsford

The $126,600 Woodford Reserve Cardinal Condition Stakes at a mile on the synthetic track at Chelmsford City Racecourse in Britain on Saturday is the final qualifying race in the European series for the Kentucky Derby.

This year, it is doubtful the Cardinal Stakes will affect the field for the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

Through the second nomination stage last Monday, none of the eight entrants in the Cardinal Stakes were nominated for the Triple Crown. A late supplemental fee to all three races of the Triple Crown can be made for $200,000 on April 27, the day of entries for the Kentucky Derby.

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A supplemental entry only for the Kentucky Derby will cost $50,000 on that day.

The Cardinal Stakes is led by Capulet, a highly-promising Kentucky-bred colt by Justify trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien. Capulet, who was 3-2 in early betting on Thursday, has won once in three starts, racing at a mile each time.

Capulet won his debut on the all-weather surface at Dundalk in Ireland, last August, and was later second in the Grade 2 Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown in Ireland, on Sept. 9, and third in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket on Sept. 30. The latter two races were on turf.

Capulet will be ridden by Ryan Moore, who rides first call for O’Brien.

Cuban Tiger (5-2) and Orne (11-2) are two other respected contenders.

Cuban Tiger has won 2 of 3 starts since his career began in January, racing on synthetic tracks in Britain. Trained by Karl Burke, Cuban Tiger overcame a slight incident of trouble in which he briefly lacked room with more than a quarter-mile remaining to win his stakes debut in the listed Burradon Stakes at a mile at Newcastle Racecourse on March 29.

Orne, trained by John and Thady Gosden, has won 2 of 6 starts, the most recent of which was a third in the Burradon in which he raced in traffic before finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind Cuban Tiger.

Post time for the Cardinal Condition Stakes is 10:30 a.m. Eastern or 7:30 a.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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