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Pricey Curlin Colt Finishes Fast at Belmont

1st-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 4-24, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.56, ft, 3/4 length.
FIRST CAPTAIN (c, 3, Curlin–America {GSW & MGISP, $580,532}, by A.P. Indy) re-rallied late to kick his career off with a promising victory in the Belmont opener Saturday. The $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga '19 co-topper and first foal out of GSW and MGISP America was let go at 3-1 off a 9-5 morning line here for the typically patient Shug McGaughey. He broke cleanly enough, and moved up to track from the pocket behind favored fellow firster Mahaamel (Into Mischief)–a $700,000 KEESEP yearling for Shadwell and Todd Pletcher out of the GSW Hot Stones (Bustin Stones). First Captain was shuffled back a bit approaching the turn as another foe went for an early run and challenged for the lead. He seemed to have horse as he waited for a seam, and tipped out into the clear at the head of the lane as Mahaamel fought back to take command once again. Mahaamel looked liked a winner in midstretch as First Captain appeared to be idling a bit, but the latter soon found another gear and finished with a flourish to get up by 3/4 of a length.

Breeder and co-owner Bobby Flay's entry point into First Captain's prolific family was via the colt's stakes-placed second dam Lacadena (Fasliyev), who he purchased privately after she RNA'd for $1.4 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Lacadena's dam is a half-sister to none other than Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister), the second dam of another McGaughey-trained stand-out sophomore in GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. and GIII Holy Bull S. hero Greatest Honour (Tapit). America went on to take the 2015 GIII Turnback the Alarm H. after hitting the board in both the GI Mother Goose S. and GI Delaware H. The $725,000 KEESEP '12 RNA was bought back for $3.1 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale carrying an Uncle Mo colt. She had produced a full sister to First Captain earlier that year and foaled another Curlin filly this Feb. 28.

The family got even stronger last year when Paris Lights (Curlin), out of America's half-sister Paris Bikini (Bernardini), took the GI Coaching Club American Oaks. Paris Lights annexed the GIII Distaff H. in her first start of the year at Aqueduct Apr. 2. Flay sold Lacadena for $1.3 million in foal to Bernardini at the 2015 Keeneland November sale, and Paris Bikini to WinStar for $425,000 at KEEJAN '16. Paris Bikini brought $1.95 million in foal to Uncle Mo at last year's FTKNOV. Sales history: $1,500,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. 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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Horses Fine, Jockeys Evaluated After Three-Way Spill At Belmont

A three-horse spill at Belmont resulted in no injuries to horses and evaluations for riders after a scary incident in the eighth race on Thursday. Sport Model, piloted by Junior Alvarado, clipped heels with rival Wish For Magic at the 5/16ths pole and tripped badly, dropping Alvarado. At the time, Sport Model was ahead of several horses. Undetectable, with Manuel Franco up, was bumped around the same time and then fell over Sport Model. Sailor's Treasure with rider Pablo Fragoso collided with the fallen horses and also fell.

All three horses got up quickly and were caught by outriders before being led off the track.

According to a NYRA spokesman, Franco was cleared by first aid at the track. Alvarado and Fragoso were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Tests and scans on Alvarado to check for traumatic brain injury were negative and he was sent home. Fragoso is also believed to have escaped serious injury.

Several horses who remained upright during the incident had to check sharply and were eased through the final part of the race, according to the Equibase chart — New York Banker, Lass, and Madame Rose, who finished seventh, eighth, and ninth.

Earlier in the card, rider Jose Ortiz was unseated in the fifth race by Fast Getaway. He was cleared to return to work by first aid and the horse returned to his connections by the finish line.

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Maracuja Maturing Quickly, Preparing For Kentucky Oaks At Belmont

Trainer Rob Atras said Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja will breeze Saturday on the Belmont Park dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

“She'll work on Saturday morning and if everything goes good and she comes out of it well, she'll leave for Kentucky on Sunday afternoon,” said Atras. “She'll have a half-mile breeze. I don't think she needs anything too serious. She puts a lot into her gallops and it's not like she's had a ton of time between races.”

The third time was the charm for the daughter of third-crop sire Honor Code, who broke her maiden sprinting 6 ½-furlongs by 3 3/4-lengths on Feb. 21 at Aqueduct over a good track.

Last out, Maracuja stretched out to two turns for the first time, closing from last-of-6 off a moderate pace to finish second to undefeated Search Results in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Gazelle on April 3 at the Big A.

“We were expecting her to run well, but we were asking a lot of her to come out of a maiden sprint,” said Atras. “I was happy with the way she settled. Unfortunately, it was a slower pace and that wasn't to our advantage, but the winner was going to be tough to beat no matter what. I was really pleased with the way she finished up going two turns for the first time. She was really determined.”

Atras said the $200,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale has progressed well with race experience.

“She's grown up physically. Not necessarily that she's gotten bigger, but after a few races she's toughened up a little bit,” said Atras. “She was a little bit soft last year and we had to stop on her a couple times. She's more relaxed in her works and really all business. Mentally, she's quite mature for a young filly. She really has come a long way.”

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Cross Country Pick 5 Features Opening Weekend At Belmont Park, Action From Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association Inc. [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing from the first weekend of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, along with action from Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

A full field of 12 maidens 3-years-old and up competing at 1 1/16 miles on the Widener turf course will start the sequence in Belmont's Race 6 at 3:34 p.m. Eastern. Mandatory has finished in the money in four of his five career starts, posting a 0-2-2 record, including earning a field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure for a runner-up last out on March 14 at Aqueduct Racetrack for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. The Todd Pletcher-trained Shaftesbury, a $675,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, has finished second in three consecutive starts, all at Gulfstream Park, and is 7-2 on the morning line.

Oaklawn will get in on the fun with a six-furlong starter allowance race for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs in Race 5 at 3:54 p.m. Sevier, 3-1 for trainer Coty Rosin, won his last two races at Oaklawn and will look for a third consecutive win. Greeley and Ben, trained by Karl Broberg, and I Belong to Becky both are listed at 7-2.

The sequence alternates back to Belmont with a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer contest for 4-year-olds and up in Race 7 at 4:08 p.m. The Chad Brown trained Looking At Bikinis will be making his first start of 2021, returning off a five-month break. Looking At Bikinis, who ran 11th in the 2019 Grade 1 Travers and fourth in that year's Grade 1 Cigar Mile, will be racing for just the third time since 2020 but is 2-1 on the morning line. The New York-bred T Loves a Fight will be making his 50th career start, listed at 15-1 for trainer Orlando Noda.

A full field of a dozen 3-year-olds and up will contest Oaklawn's sixth race, a six-furlong claiming contest, at 4:29 p.m. Balandeen, at 3-1 on the morning line, has finished in third in his last three races for trainer Juan Cano. Unscathed, listed at 9-2 for conditioner Genaro Garcia, also ran third last out in a claiming contest, finishing in the money in April at Oaklawn going the same distance as Saturday's race.

Belmont will wrap up the Cross County Pick 5 with the sequence's only stakes, as eight 4-year-olds and up will square off in the $100,000 Elusive Quality going seven furlongs on the Widener turf course. Eight-time stakes winner Therapist will look to win his seasonal debut for the third consecutive year and is listed at 7-2 for trainer Christophe Clement. Brown will send out three contenders in the eight-horse field, including 2-1 favorite Front Run the Fed, along with 4-1 Value Proposition and 12-1 selection Seismic Wave.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, April 22:
Leg A: Belmont– Race 6 (3:34 p.m.)
Leg B: Oaklawn – Race 5 (3:54 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont – Race 7 (4:08 p.m.)
Leg D: Oaklawn – Race 6 (4:29 p.m.)
Leg E: Belmont – Race 8 Elusive Quality (4:40 p.m.)

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