St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook breezed a half-mile in :49 March 26 over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepares for the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack April 5.
A Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race, the Wood Memorial offers 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top-five finishers.
Trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., the Practical Joke bay was completing his sixth work since capturing the 1 1/8-mile Withers Stakes Feb. 1 under Manny Franco, which secured 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
Blake Dutrow, Dutrow Jr.’s nephew and Belmont Park-based assistant, said the solo work went smoothly.
“It was mostly maintenance. He’s ready so we are just trying to keep him happy and stay out of his way, because we feel like if the Wood were tomorrow, he’d be ready for it, if it’s next week, he’s ready,” said Dutrow. “As long as he stays the way he is, we will feel like he has a good shot.”
Franco, the current meet-leading rider at Aqueduct with 63 wins, was aboard for Wednesday’s work.
“Manny gets along with him well. He does a good job with him in the morning and the afternoons, so we are trying not to make too make changes there,” said Dutrow. “Since the Withers, Captain Cook has come out of the race good and done everything we’ve asked. We feel like he is definitely getting better and better each day.”
In the Withers, Captain Cook stalked in third position, ranged up to the lead in the turn, and held off a late try from Surfside Moon to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:51.83. He became 2-for-2 for Dutrow Jr., after a sixth on debut for trainer Norm Casse ahead of a dominant 9 1/4 lengths graduation sprinting seven furlongs over sloppy and sealed going on December 28 here in his first start for new connections.
“He’s nonchalant, all business when you ask him, and he knows it’s time. I’d say he’s getting more mature each day. He is a pleasant horse to be around,” said Dutrow.
Captain Cook was purchased after his debut for $410,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age sale as part of the dispersal of the estate of the late John Hendrickson.
Bred by Marylou Whitney Stables, Captain Cook is out of the grade 2-placed Indian Charlie mare Pow Wow Wow . His third dam is 2003 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner and champion 3-Year-Old Filly Bird Town, a half-sister of 2004 Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1)-victor Birdstone —both out of the reine-de-course mare Dear Birdie.
Dutrow Jr., also has McAfee nominated to the Wood Memorial. The Cloud Computing dark bay was fifth last-out in the one-turn mile Gotham Stakes (G3) March 1 here, picking up five Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
McAfee breezed a half-mile in :49.65 over the Belmont Park dirt training track March 27.
“We had a good work with him. Rick is going to talk it over with the connections and come up with the best plan moving forward. (Jockey) Eric Cancel breezed him and really liked him,” said Dutrow. “Again, he is another horse doing everything we ask. He’s lightly raced, and we feel he has a lot of good races ahead of him in his 3-year-old year.”
McAfee, a $40,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Uncle Mo mare Sataves , making him a half-brother to 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna . He is owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Scott Rice, and breeder Judy Hicks.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
