The old adage taking it “one step at a time” certainly applies to our (West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay) 3 year old colt First Captain. After breaking his maiden on April 24 going 7 furlongs at Belmont Park he was pointed to a one mile first level allowance race against older horses on May 29. On a track labeled “muddy”, First Captain was headed in deep stretch but fought back to win by a length.
With a race record of 2 for 2 it was time to step up and try stakes company. After initially targeting a stakes race at Saratoga Racetrack in late July, First Captain’s trainer Shug McGaughey called an audible and entered him in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park. The July 5th running of the Dwyer provided a lucrative purse of $250,000 and the opportunity to become a graded stakes (Grade 3) winner.
As the starting gate opened, First Captain found himself further back than his first two races. As the field approached the top of the stretch, First Captain mounted a bid on the outside and began to gobble up ground. Inside the eighth pole he took the lead and drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths. It was an impressive win considering it was only his third lifetime start and first against stakes company. Horse Racing Nation called him a monster in the making!
Thoroughbred Daily News article
Racing in New York will shift to Saratoga Racetrack on July 15 and First Captain will resume his training there. The current thinking is we will target the $1.25 million, mile and a quarter Travers Stakes on August 28. How First Captain trains over the next few weeks will determine if he will have a “prep” race prior to the Travers or train up to the Travers. Likely “prep” races would be the July 30 Curlin Stakes or July 31 Jim Dandy Stakes. Both races are a mile and an eighth.
In either case, First Captain’s next race will be around two turns for the first time and at a distance further than any of his first three races. We’re taking it “one step at a time”!