Santa Anita: Fury Kapcori runs down Appealing Tale in Santana Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Fury Kapcori won his third consecutive race in Sunday’s $78,700 Santana Mile at Santa Anita, needing most of the stretch to run past a stubborn pacesetter in Appealing Tale.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Fury Kapcori ($3.80) was always in the first three. Fury Kapcori was second to Appealing Tale on the backstretch and the turn and took the lead in the final furlong before winning by three-quarters of a length. Fury Kapcori, who was sent off favored, ran a mile on dirt in 1:34.50.

Bejarano, the runaway leader in the jockey standings, said Fury Kapcori was a cooperative colt in the Santana Mile, showing patience to race behind the pace.

“I didn’t want to send the horse because I knew that [Appealing Tale] would go,” Bejarano said. “When I got him to relax on the first turn, he tried to run off a bit. I let him go a bit. I had a good trip. He relaxed this time and ran better.”

Appealing Tale, who had a two-race winning streak end in the Santana Mile, finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of Clubhouse Ride, who was followed by Get Happy Mister, Spud Spivens, and For Cash in the field of six.

Winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer praised Bejarano’s ride.

“The thing that makes Rafael win so many races is that he knows where he is,” Hollendorfer said. “He knows when to make his move.”

Fury Kapcori races for Rick Awtrey, George Todaro, and Hollendorfer. A 4-year-old by Tiznow, Fury Kapcori won his second stakes in the Santana. He won the Charlie Palmer Futurity at the Fresno fair in October 2012 and later was second in the Real Quiet Stakes and the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park that fall.

At 3, Fury Kapcori was winless in five starts, including a second in the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar last August. The current winning streak includes an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 1 and an allowance race over a mile Feb. 7.

Fury Kapcori has won 5 of 13 starts and earned $419,880.

The Santana Mile was Bejarano’s eighth stakes win of the meeting. He is tied for the lead in that category with Hall of Famers Mike Smith and Gary Stevens.