Fury Kapcori to bypass San Diego Handicap
DEL MAR, Calif. – The potential pace and prospective lineup for the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap on Saturday at Del Mar changed significantly Tuesday morning when the connections of Fury Kapcori, the likely pacesetter and potential favorite, decided to bypass the race.
In his absence, the Jerry Hollendorfer barn decided to run Summer Hit, a synthetic-track specialist. Rafael Bejarano, who was scheduled to ride Fury Kapcori, will ride Summer Hit.
Fury Kapcori was part of a wicked pace in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in his most recent start June 28 when dueling with Game On Dude. He wound up sixth in the seven-horse field, beaten 14 1/4 lengths. Earlier this year, Fury Kapcori won four straight races at Santa Anita, including the Grade 3 Precisionist, before finishing second in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes, his prep for the Gold Cup.
Since the Gold Cup, Fury Kapcori has worked twice, a half-mile in 47 seconds at Santa Anita on July 10 and then a half in 48 seconds here Saturday.
The San Diego, at 1 1/16 miles, is this track’s major prep for the biggest race of the meet, the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 24. Entries were to be taken Wednesday. Expected to enter were Dance With Fate, Fed Biz, Footbridge, Frac Daddy, Handsome Mike, Imperative, Soi Phet, and Summer Hit.
Summer Hit, who has won 11 of 21 lifetime, won the Brubaker on Polytrack here last summer. He is 8 for 10 on synthetic surfaces.
“He’s a different horse on synthetics,” said Hollendorfer’s local assistant, Dan Ward.