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First Captain Kicks Off Year with Nail-Biting Win

10th-Gulfstream, $56,000, Alw (C)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-27, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:22.19, ft, head.

FIRST CAPTAIN (c, 4, Curlin–America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) faced a small but contentious field for his 4-year-old debut, including GSWs Trophy Chaser (Twirling Candy) and Dennis' Moment (Tiznow)–the latter also a 'TDN Rising Star'–as well as black-type winners Real Talk (Gemologist) and Hello Hot Rod (Mosler). A 'TDN Rising Star' himself, First Captain was slowest of all out of the stalls, yet kept in touch with the tightly packed field from the back. Nearly five lengths behind and well off the rail at the :22.71 quarter, he was still in the rear at the :45.24 half-mile mark but making progress. Still wide, the 4-5 favorite loomed menacingly on the turn on the outside, getting occasional right-handed encouragement from Jose Ortiz. Just when it looked like he had too much to do, First Captain kicked into another gear just strides from the wire, inhaling frontrunner Doc Amster (Midshipman)–the only non-stakes winner in the field–in the last possible second by a head.

With only four previous starts under his girth, First Captain won his first three. He broke his maiden at first asking last April at Belmont, getting a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. With a second consecutive win, taking a Belmont allowance in May and accorded both a 95 Beyer and 'Rising Star' status, the $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling went into the GIII Dwyer S. in July and prevailed as the favorite. He flattened to third in Saratoga's Curlin S. later that month and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey gave him plenty of time to regroup before his 4-year-old campaign.

Chef Bobby Flay bred First Captain and stayed in for a piece of the Curlin colt. As Flay recently detailed in an edition of Mating Plans, he is breeding the chestnut's dam, America, back to Curlin this year for a full-sibling. America also produced full-sisters to First Captain in 2019 and 2021. Her lone other mate has been Uncle Mo, by whom America has a 2-year-old colt named Kid American (a $550,000 RNA at KEESEP), and by whom she is expecting a foal this year. Flay also has America's half-sister Street Strut (Street Cry {Ire}), who is going to Constitution. Another half-sister to America produced 2020 GISW Paris Lights (Curlin) and the family goes back to Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), First Captain's fourth dam. Blush With Pride-winner of the 1982 GI Kentucky Oaks–was out of Broodmare of the Year Best in Show (Traffic Judge) and produced Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). Sales History: $1,500,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-4-0-1, $285,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm LLC, Bobby Flay, & Woodford Racing, LLC; B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

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Distorted Humor’s Distractedprincess Stays Unbeaten with Second Daylight Score

8th-Santa Anita, $73,140, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($50,000), 1-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:39.09, ft, 6 1/2 lengths.
DISTRACTEDPRINCESS (f, 4, Distorted Humor–Celtic Princess {Brz} {Ch. 2-year-old Filly-Brz, Horse Of The Year-Brz, Ch. 3-year-old Filly-Brz, MG1SW-Brz, GSW & GISP-USA, $330,624}, by Public Purse) parlayed an uber-impressive 13-length debut seven-furlong romp Dec. 31 into a second career win on the slight stretch out to a mile Sunday at Santa Anita. She broke on top, dueled briefly with Eyes Open (Street Sense), but had a half-length advantage and was moving easily with her ears flicking back and forth by the time she passed the first quarter mark in :24.11. John Velazquez sat quietly through the next quarter with Eyes Open still just off her flank as the half-mile registered in :48.65. Distractedprincess began accelerating off the turn as Velazquez shook the reins, threw a few crosses, and waved the whip at her, but it was little more than a hand ride as she cruised down the lane to the easiest of 6 1/2-length victories while drifting out as the prohibitive 3-10 favorite. SW Fi Fi Pharoah (American Pharoah), who was coming off a fourth in the Jan. 1 GIII La Canada S., was the runner-up. The winner's only previous start, that monster sprint score on New Year's Eve, resulted in an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Her champion dam was purchased by Neary Racing while in foal to Maclean's Music at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. She delivered a filly the next spring–now named Gungagungagalunga and unraced–but has not had another foal since. Celtic Princess was bred to Global Campaign for this spring. Sales History: $105,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $385,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $81,600.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, & Paul Weitman; B-Coudelaria Jessica Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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Del Mar, Santa Anita Planning To Ban Thoroughbreds Racing In 1,000-Yard Events At Los Al

With the increasing popularity of running Thoroughbreds in 1,000-yard (approximately 4 1/2 furlongs) mixed-breed races at Los Alamitos, Del Mar's first condition book has stipulated that horses starting in two of those races at Los Al will be banned from racing at the Del Mar meet, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Held under allowance conditions over the past several months, the 1,000-yard races at Los Al have drawn entrants based at Santa Anita, which has, in turn, struggled to attract full fields for its dirt races.

The new policy will be enacted on July 16 at the start of the Del Mar meeting, and will extend through Santa Anita's autumn meet.

The terms in the Del Mar condition book urge trainers to communicate with racing officials at Del Mar, Santa Anita, and Golden Gate before entering at Los Al.