Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Captain Cook
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Captain Cook
Colt by Practical Joke – Pow Wow Wow, by Indian Charlie
Bred in Kentucky by Marylou Whitney Stables ($410,000 Keeneland November horses of racing age purchase by Steven Young)
The bloodlines of the vaunted Whitney program have rarely been available in the public marketplace. That changed last year, when John Hendrickson, widower of Marylou Whitney, died.
Hendrickson’s Thoroughbred holdings were dispersed over the fall and winter, with St. Elias Stable winding up with Captain Cook. From the family of classic winner Birdstone and others, Captain Cook is also from a prominent classic sireline. He won the Withers Stakes for his new connections and looks for his Kentucky Derby berth Saturday in the Wood Memorial.
Millionaire Practical Joke is by leading sire and emerging sire-of-sires Into Mischief, who is the sire of two Kentucky Derby winners, 2020 victor Authentic and 2021 official winner Mandaloun, and his son Goldencents sired last year’s winner, Mystik Dan.
Practical Joke was at his best around one turn, winning the Grade 1 Hopeful, Grade 1 Champagne, and Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens. However, he was also game enough to turn in many solid performances around two turns, including third-place finishes in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Haskell Invitational.
The average winning distance for Practical Joke’s progeny is 6.35 furlongs, but he has had some two-turn success. His Grade 1 winners in the U.S. are Eclipse Award finalist Ways and Means, who won the Test at seven furlongs; Domestic Product, who won the Jerkens sprinting after earlier taking the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby around two turns; Practical Move, winner of the Santa Anita Derby around two turns; and Chocolate Gelato, who won the Frizette at a one-turn mile. Practical Joke is also a successful shuttle stallion to Chile, where he is the sire of four champions.
Pow Wow Wow was a maiden winner at a mile and ran third in the Grade 2 Forward Gal at seven furlongs. The dam of two winners from four starters is from one of Whitney’s most prolific families. Pow Wow Wow’s granddam is Eclipse Award champion Bird Town, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Oaks and Acorn Stakes.
Bird Town is out of Broodmare of the Year Dear Birdie, who also produced Birdstone. After winning the Champagne as a juvenile, Birdstone stretched out to classic distances as a sophomore, winning the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes.
Indian Charlie is broodmare sire of more than 100 stakes winners, including Horse of the Year Flightline and sprint champion Mitole.
– Nicole Russo
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