Curlin no walk in the park for First Captain
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The connections of First Captain may have taken the path of least resistance to get to the Travers, but Friday’s $120,000 Curlin Stakes appears to have come up a stiff test for the undefeated son of the race’s namesake.
First Captain will make his first start at 1 1/8 miles and first start around two turns in the Curlin, which is open to 3-year-olds who have not won a graded stakes beyond a mile.
First Captain won the Grade 3 Dwyer going a one-turn mile on July 5, his third consecutive victory to begin his career. All three wins came during the Belmont spring/summer meet.
Trainer Shug McGaughey had the option of running in the Curlin or Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes where he would have had to face Essential Quality, last year’s 2-year-old champion and this year’s Belmont Stakes winner.
“Essential Quality’s got the seasoning, he’s got the races around two turns where First Captain doesn’t,” McGaughey said.
McGaughey believes First Captain will improve going two turns.
“I think that’s what he naturally wants to do. I think he really showed that in the Dwyer,” McGaughey said. “In his first two races, he made a couple of mistakes and I couldn’t pick up on what he wanted to do.”
McGaughey felt that in his first start, First Captain raced spotty before getting to the outside and closing stoutly to get up over next-out winner Mahaamel. In his second start, First Captain eased up when he made the lead, then fought back after being engaged by another horse to win by a length.
In the Dwyer, First Captain sat fourth behind horses before being moved into the four path at the quarter pole, collaring Ridin With Biden inside the sixteenth pole before being taken in hand late.
“In the Dwyer, he was there when he swung him out,” McGaughey said.
First Captain, owned by a group that includes West Point Thoroughbreds, Bobby Flay, and Siena Farm, will break from post 4.
In the Dwyer, McGaughey beat Ridin With Biden, trained by Butch Reid. Friday, Reid sends out a more accomplished 3-year-old in Beren, a Pennsylvania-bred son of Weigelia, who has won three consecutive stakes, from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.
Reid expressed some reservations about running Beren in the Curlin off a very fast half-mile workout in 46.60 seconds here last Friday, but ultimately decided to keep him in the Curlin rather than cut back to 6 1/2 furlongs in Sunday’s Amsterdam.
“I really wanted to run long, two turns, that’s what I had in mind the whole time,” Reid said. “I want to make sure he’s a two-turn horse and we’ll find out that Friday.”
Beren, along with Harvard, is likely to be forwardly placed under Frankie Pennington.
“He doesn’t have to be on the lead, he’s a very tractable horse,” Reid said. “Frankie will have his options.”
Collaborate is coming off a 5 1/4-length first-level allowance at Gulfstream Park going a one-turn mile for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. That was his first race following a throat procedure to repair a breathing issue that Joseph felt might have inhibited him in the Florida Derby, where he finished fifth after seemingly cruising in third in the early stages.
“You’re hoping the airway is fixed now and he’s going to show his true potential,” Joseph said. “I definitely believe he doesn’t lack ability. If he runs a complete race, he’s as good as anybody in there.”
Tyler Gaffalione rides Collaborate from post 6.
Miles D, trained by Chad Brown, is stepping up following an allowance win off an eight-month layoff. Snow House was third to First Captain in the Dwyer. Dynamic One won a maiden, then was second in the Wood Memorial, both at 1 1/8 miles. In the Kentucky Derby, he didn’t have a great trip, but was probably overmatched and finished 18th.
The Curlin goes as race 9 on a 10-race card that begins at 1:05 p.m.