Pimlico Special reasonable spot for Capocostello
Trainer Fausto Gutierrez knows he doesn’t have the male version of Letruska in his barn in the Panama Group 1 winner Capocostello. Then again, it may not necessarily take a champion to win Friday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special.
The Pimlico Special, which shares billing with the Grade 2, $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan on Friday’s 14-race card, drew a field of 11, with First Captain the lone U.S. graded winner in the field.
Gutierrez brought Letruska to the U.S. from Mexico in late 2019, and she has won 13 of 19 starts here and last year was named champion older female.
Gutierrez brought Capocostello to the U.S. from Panama in the fall of 2021. Capocostello has gone winless in his two starts in the U.S., but he has faced some tough competition.
In a second-level allowance on Jan. 15 at Gulfstream Park, Capocostello was beaten 10 1/2 lengths by Olympiad, who came out of that race to win three graded stakes, including the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs two weeks ago.
Capocostello came back to run in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper at Gulfstream, and though he ran spotty, he rallied to finish second, six lengths behind Fearless and a nose in front of Greatest Honour. Fearless, the beaten favorite in last year’s Pimlico Special, came out of the Ghostzapper to run second in the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap.
“Some horses, like Letruska, they cross the border and can be stars,” Gutierrez said. “But then we need to be honest and real. [Capocostello] is a horse with two presentations in the United States. He showed to have potential or be at the level to run with this same group.”
He’s also one who has shown Gutierrez that he wants to run a distance of ground, so the 1 3/16 miles of the Pimlico Special should suit him.
Irad Ortiz Jr. rode Capocostello in the Ghostzapper but he is riding Vindictive in this race. Flavien Prat has picked up the mount on Capocostello.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has sent out the favorite in five of the last 10 runnings of the Pimlico Special. Revolutionary (2014) and Commissioner (2015) won. Fearless (2021) and You’re to Blame (2019) ran second and Mission Impazible (2012) was fourth.
Friday, he sends out morning-line first and second choices Vindictive (2-1) and Untreated (7-2).
Vindictive, a 4-year-old son of Uncle Mo, finished third behind Miles D and Speaker’s Corner in last year’s Discovery Stakes at Aqueduct. He made a successful 4-year-old debut, winning a second-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct on March 25. All three of his wins have come at nine furlongs.
“I think the further the better for him,” Pletcher said. “That’s part of the reason we selected this spot. A mile and three-sixteenths is a good fit for him.”
Untreated was beaten a head by Forewarned April 2 in the Excelsior at Aqueduct after rallying wide and making the lead in midstretch. First Constitution, who was third in that four-horse field, came back to win the Flat Out Stakes by four lengths.
Of Untreated’s effort in the Excelsior, Pletcher said; “Things didn’t go exactly as planned. Looked like he had the race won and was on the wrong side of a head bob. In the end, it was a solid effort. I think he, too, will appreciate the mile and three-sixteenths.”
Forewarned, a 7-year-old Ohio-bred son of Flat Out, has won 11 of 49 starts and was eighth in this race last year. In addition to his Excelsior win, he also upset the Queens County at 42-1 last December. Trained by Uriah St. Lewis, Forewarened finished fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the Native Dancer at Laurel Park on April 23.
First Captain won the Grade 3 Dwyer at Belmont Park last July for a 3-for-3 start to his career. Since then, he has one allowance win from three starts. First Captain finished last in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at seven furlongs April 9, and for Friday’s race trainer Shug McGaughey stretches him back out in distance, puts blinkers on him, and makes a rider change to Luis Saez.
“I am excited to get him around two turns and put blinkers on him to try and get him to focus a little more,” McGaughey told the Pimlico notes team. “I don’t know what happened in the Carter, but all his other races have been fine.”
Treasure Trove, a half-brother to 2021 Preakness winner Rombauer, is coming off an allowance win for trainer Anthony Farrior.
Shooger Ray Too and Excellorator were both cross-entered in an allowance at Pimlico on Saturday. Excellorator, 2 for 2 this year, will run in the Pimlico Special, trainer Hugh McMahon said. A decision was pending on Shooger Ray Too, according to trainer Tyler Servis.
Workin On a Dream, Mischief Afoot,and Mohaafeth complete the field.