Fury Kapcori seeks first graded win in Precisionist

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nearly 18 months since he finished a game second in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park, Fury Kapcori can win his first graded stakes in Saturday’s $100,000 Precisionist at Santa Anita.

Fury Kapcori’s recent form tips him as a deserving favorite in the Grade 3 stakes.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the 4-year-old Fury Kapcori has won his last three starts, a sequence that consists of an optional claimer on Jan. 1, an allowance race on Feb. 7, and the minor Santana Mile on March 30.

The Precisionist Stakes, formerly run at Hollywood Park as the Mervyn LeRoy Stakes, will be Fury Kapcori’s first start in a graded stakes since a fifth behind Will Take Charge, the 2013 champion 3-year-old male, in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby last September.

Fury Kapcori is quick, repeatedly showing the ability to race on or near the lead. In the Precisionist Stakes over 1 1/16 miles, the colt is likely to have a stalking trip behind Batti Man, who was fourth in a $75,000 claimer on turf on March 22, and the Hollendorfer-trained Zeewat, a sprint stakes winner.

Majestic City, second in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on March 15, will also be near the front.

The Precisionist drew a field of seven with Fury Kapcori starting from the outside post. Rafael Bejarano, who has ridden Fury Kapcori in his three wins this year, retains the mount. American Blend, third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes in February, is a threat from off the pace.

Handsome Mike and Secretsatmidnight will be longer prices. Handsome Mike won the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in 2013. The Precisionist will be the stakes debut for Secretsatmidnight, who is trained by Bob Baffert.

Earlier on Saturday’s program, Forever Juanito makes his stakes debut in the $75,000 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Trained by Victor Garcia, Forever Juanito was a troubled second in an optional claimer on the hillside turf course on March 28, his first start since July.

In the Desert Code, Forever Juanito is part of a field of seven. None of the runners have won a stakes, but the other six have run in such races.

Royal Banker was second and third in two turf stakes in late 2013, but has been a disappointment in three stakes races this year.

Saturday’s 11-race program at Santa Anita begins at 11:30 a.m. Pacific. This is the first year that Santa Anita has hosted live racing on Kentucky Derby Day. Hollywood Park, which closed in December, held racing at this time of year in the past.