Enbarr rallies in stretch to win Capote Stakes

CYPRESS, Calif. – Enbarr won his stakes debut in Saturday’s $75,000 Capote Stakes for 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos, but did so in a manner that surprised jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

Enbarr ($2.80) closed from third in a field of four to take the lead with about a furlong remaining, finishing a length in front of 3-2 Montebello. Enbarr and Montebello are trained by Bob Baffert.

“It worked out good,” Van Dyke said. “I thought I was on the faster of the two Bafferts. I went to Plan B and sat off of them.”

Montebello and Olympic Legend dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 21.73 seconds before Olympic Legend faded from contention.

Montebello, second in the Funny Cide Stakes for New York-breds on Aug. 27 at Saratoga, led by 1 1/2 lengths after a half-mile in 45.25, but was no match for the winner. Enbarr trailed by four lengths on the backstretch and closed steadily in the long stretch to reach the front.

Montebello held second, eight lengths clear of 12-1 Olympic Legend who was well clear of 19-1 Richards the Dream in the small field.

Fascinated and the Baffert-trained Rhetoric were scratched.

Enbarr ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.33 in the Capote, which was restricted to non-winners of a stakes worth $50,000 or more to the winner. Enbarr earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78.

The Capote Stakes was the second start for Enbarr, a colt by Brody’s Cause who races for Baoma Corp.

Enbarr, purchased for $200,000 as a yearling, was second to Pinehurst in a maiden special weight race on Aug. 1 at Del Mar. Pinehurst won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 6 and is rated as one of California’s leading 2-year-olds going into the autumn.