Suburban Stakes could be next for First Captain
BALTIMORE – Following his breakthrough victory in Friday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Pimlico Special, First Captain could be pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban Stakes on July 9 at Belmont Park, part-owner Terry Finley said Saturday morning.
Finley said he spoke briefly with trainer Shug McGaughey following the race and said a potential plan could be the Suburban followed by the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 3 at Saratoga. Both races are run at 1 1/4 miles.
Another spot mentioned was the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 6 at Saratoga, though that 1 1/8-mile race is being targeted by the super-talented Life Is Good.
“My sense is the Jockey Club would be a little lighter than the Whitney,” Finley said Saturday.
First Captain, a son of Curlin, earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his Pimlico Special victory, one in which, under Luis Saez, he reeled in Vindictive in the final strides to win by a head. It was First Captain’s second stakes victory after having won the Grade 3 Dwyer last summer at Belmont.
The Pimlico Special was First Captain’s first race in blinkers, equipment McGaughey had thought about using after the horse ran a spotty third in the Curlin Stakes last summer at Saratoga.
McGaughey ultimately stopped on First Captain following the Curlin, telling Finley the horse was feeling the effects a somewhat busy schedule – four races from April 24 through July 30.
“Putting everything together, his pedigree and his physical, he thought he would benefit from not pushing one on more race,” Finley said. “When you do that, you’re hoping to get to a spot like this.”
Finley said it was gratifying to see First Captain get an important victory, considering the horse brought $1.5 million as a yearling at auction.
“You can’t get sidetracked when you pay a lot of money and things don’t work out,” said Finley, whose West Point operation owns First Captain along with Siena Farm, Woodford Racing, and Bobby Flay, the latter who bred the colt. “When they seem like they’re getting there it’s a cool thing.”