It’s hard to believe almost 25% of the 2021 Saratoga Racing Meet is in the history books. With nine of the forty day Meet concluded, racing this weekend shifts the spotlight to the 3 year old colts. The Curlin Stakes on Friday and the Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday are both prep races for the $1.25 Million Travers Stakes on Saturday, August 28th.
The Jim Dandy Stakes will be highlighted by Essential Quality who is the most accomplished 3 year old colt in the country. Essential Quality has winnings of more than $2 million and was the impressive winner of this year’s Belmont Stakes in his most recent race.
While the Jim Dandy Stakes is the more prestigious race of the two stakes, our (West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay) focus will be on Friday’s Curlin Stakes. First Captain will try and take the next step in his young career when he enters the starting gate against six other 3 year old colts.
First Captain had his final workout for the Curlin on Saturday and seems to have settled in nicely in Saratoga since arriving from Belmont Park. About 20 of us were on hand at 5:30 AM to watch the workout. As the morning fog lifted, First Captain put in his final preparation for the Curlin, working 4F (half mile) in tandem (First Captain on outside).
First Captain’s Trainer Shug McGaughey
The race records of the seven horses in the Curlin suggest it will be a very contentious race. The field includes Dynamic One who ran in the Kentucky Derby, Collaborate who was one of the favorites in this year’s Florida Derby, stakes winner Beren, Snow House who First Captain faced in the Dwyer Stakes, impressive maiden winner Miles D trained by Chad Brown and Harvard owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm. China Horse Club and WinStar Farm won the 2018 Triple Crown with Justify.
The Curlin is Race 9 on Friday with a Post Time of 5:39 PM (EST) and will be televised on “America’s Day at the Races” (FS2) and the NYRA website. Hopefully First Captain continues to progress and I can’t wait for Friday!