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Unbeaten First Captain Progresses In Dwyer; McGaughey Eyes Travers

Highly-regarded First Captain lived up to his connections' aspirations, tracking a moderate pace along the rail and taking control in mid-stretch to remain undefeated while conquering his first stakes test in Monday's Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey for owners West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing and Bobby Flay, First Captain arrived at the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds off a first-level victory against winners at Belmont on May 29.

The talented chestnut posted a sharp debut score by three-quarters of a length over eventual winners Mahaamel and Repo Rocks going seven furlongs over Big Sandy on April 24.

First Captain broke toward the rear of the compact five-horse field while Ridin With Biden was first in command through an opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the fast main track, 1 ½ lengths clear of Gershwin and Snow House, who battled for second.

Ridin With Biden's lead dwindled through a half-mile in 46.67 as jockey Jose Ortiz started getting busy aboard First Captain, who made a four-wide bid around the far turn.

First Captain confronted the pacesetter just past the eighth-pole en route to a 1 3/4-length score, completing the journey in 1:36.19. Ridin With Biden held second by a half-length over Snow House. Gershwin and Civil War competed the order of finish.

Ortiz, who piloted First Captain in both of his previous efforts, said First Captain improved significantly.

“Last time, he was in the clear most of the time. Today, he was a lot better. He was behind horses and took some dirt,” Ortiz said. “They were running. They went 46 and when I put him in the clear it took me awhile to get into high gear, but when he did it, he used that beautiful stride of his. He went by them as he is supposed to, and he galloped out really well. I think he's going to improve with distance.”

First Captain provided McGaughey with his fourth Dwyer triumph, adding to a list that includes Seeking the Gold [1988], Coronado's Quest [1998] and Code of Honor [2019]. The latter two went on to win their respective year's edition of the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga.

McGaughey said he would consider a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 Runhappy Travers on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course, but also didn't rule out the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 31 – the Spa's local prep for the Mid-Summer Derby.

“We'll take a look at it,” McGaughey said. “I'll see how he comes back and how he is when he gets up there. That would be the best-case scenario. I'm glad to get this one.”

Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds said they initially considered running in his sire's namesake race, the nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga, but the opportunity to garner a graded stakes win could not be passed up.

“He's never going to be a horse that just dazzles you, but you can tell he's just starting to get going,” Finley said. “We're very happy with him. We would have loved to have got him a little further in his third start, but it just wasn't to be. We were going back and forth to run in the Curlin, but this spot came up and it was too attractive. Now, I guess we can go to the Jim Dandy or wait for the Travers.”

Now 3-for-3, First Captain banked $137,500 in victory, over doubling his lifetime earnings to $237,500. Going off as the 2-5 favorite, First Captain returned $2.80 for a $2 win bet.

“He was a lot steadier today. I knew he was winning his first two races on ability, but I didn't really know what to think of him,” McGaughey said. “Today, he showed me something, especially that two turns is going to be in the bag, I think. I liked the way he took the dirt; he took it a lot better today than he did the last time. He was a little further back than I thought he would be. But that's why they are what they are. I thought we were in pretty good shape coming up to the quarter-pole.”

Bred in Kentucky by Bobby Flay, First Captain is by multiple-champion producing sire Curlin and out of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy broodmare America. He is a direct descendant of influential broodmare Best in Show – a prominent line that includes American classic winners Jazil, Rags to Riches and War of Will, as well as Grade/Group 1 turf winners Peeping Fawn, Denon, Good Journey, Chimes of Freedom, Spinning World, Domedriver, and popular Japanese champion Almond Eye.

First Captain was a $1.5 million acquisition from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Stone Farm.

Live racing resumes on Friday afternoon with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. ET.

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Blinkers Help Gufo Regain Winning Ways In Inaugural Grand Couturier

Otter Bend Stables' Gufo capitalized on Joel Rosario's patient ride, rallying from last-of-six to make a strong move out of the turn and press on for a one-length victory over Tide of the Sea in the $150,000 Grand Couturier on Monday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. It was the inaugural running of the 1 1/2-mile test for 4-year-olds and up over the Widener turf course.

The ultra-consistent Gufo entered his 11th career start having finished in the money in each of his previous races. The Christophe Clement trainee kept that record intact with his sixth career victory and fourth stakes score, benefitting from class relief after running third last out in the Grade 1 Manhattan on Belmont Stakes Day June 5.

Gufo, who broke from post 6, was content to save ground in last as Tide of the Sea led through an opening quarter-mile in 26.09 seconds, the half in 51.03 and three-quarters in 1:16.48 over the turf labeled good.

Rosario urged Gufo up out of the far turn, tipping him out as he picked off rivals one-by-one. Straightened for home, Gufo overtook Shamrocket and Tide of the Sea. In the final sixteenth, Tide of the Sea re-bid from the inside under Luis Saez, but Gufo completed the course in 2:28.73, winning for the first time since the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in October.

After running second in the Grade 1 Man o' War when rallying from 14 lengths back in May and earning black type, coming from 17 lengths back, in the Manhattan to start his 2021 campaign, Clement said adding blinkers for the Grand Couturier paid off.

“I think the blinkers helped because he was, without a doubt, a bit closer,” Clement said. “He ran very well. He was closer to the pace. He was giving weight to most of them. With that big sweeping move five-wide, by the time he came against [Sadler's Joy] we had already cleared him. I was very happy with Gufo.”

Gufo, the 4-5 favorite, returned $3.80 on a $2 win bet. Bred in Kentucky by John Little and Stephen Cainelli, he improved his career earnings to $738,510. The 4-year-old Declaration of War colt is 6-2-3 lifetime.

Jose Ortiz, aboard fourth-place finisher Sadler's Joy, lodged an objection against Gufo after he appeared to lug out slightly in the stretch. The stewards also put up the inquiry sign but upheld the order of finish.

“I corrected him. He always likes to look around a little bit, and that was it. He was fine after that,” Rosario said about his stretch run. “He was a little more focused with the blinkers. It was a slow pace, but he was a little more up in the race. It seemed like they helped.”

Clement said the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer also going 1 ½ miles on Travers Day, August 28, at Saratoga Race Course is likely next on tap. The Sword Dancer is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf November 6 at Del Mar.

“The Sword Dancer is next. That's the plan,” Clement said. “He has three starts this year and the plan was always to give him three starts. I was going to run in the United Nations, but the [Monmouth Park] whip rule and the fact that things have been a bit speed favoring at Monmouth, I had to think about it. I figured that the Bowling Green was a touch too close to the Sword Dancer, so I ran him today. The next two or three weeks I'll start playing with him and breeze him around the first week of August. Then we'll be ready for the Sword Dancer.”

Tide of the Sea, owned by Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Michael Maker, edged the Todd Pletcher-trained Shamrocket by a neck for second. Following in the order was Sadler's Joy, Red Knight and Kinenos.

“He broke pretty well and was trying pretty hard,” Saez said. “When we came to the stretch, the six-horse [Gufo] came pretty quick. He tried to fight with him. If the ground was a little bit faster, it would have been better. He never gave up but we were second best.”

Fantasioso, Epic Bromance, Moon Over Miami and Burning Bright scratched.

Live racing resumes Friday at Belmont with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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First Captain Sails to Dwyer Win

West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing's First Captain (Curlin) remained unbeaten with an authoritative victory in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park Monday. Sent off the 2-5 favorite, First Captain raced at the back of the five-horse field as Ridin With Biden (Constitution) set the pace under a snug hold through an opening quarter in :23.47. The pacesetting longshot was still a length in front after a half in :46.67, but First Captain was tipped out for clear sailing at the top of the lane and loomed an ominious presence outside the tiring frontrunner. The long-striding colt took a moment to put it all together before rolling to the lead with a furlong to run and pulled away to score by 1 3/4 lengths.

“He was behind horses and took some dirt,” winning jockey Jose Ortiz said of his trip. “They were running. They went [:46.67] and when I put him in the clear, it took me awhile to get into high gear, but when he did it, he used that beautiful stride of his. He went by them as he is supposed to and he galloped out really good. I think he's going to improve with distance.”

West Point Thoroughbreds president Terry Finley expects First Captain to only improve from here.

“He's never going to be a horse that just dazzles you, but you can tell he's just starting to get going,” said Finley. “We're very happy with him. We would have loved to have got him a little farther in his third start, but it just wasn't to be. We were going back and forth to run in the [July 30 nine-furlong] Curlin S. [at Saratoga], but this spot came up and it was too attractive. Now, I guess we can go to the [July 31 GII] Jim Dandy S. or wait for the [Aug. 28 GI Runhappy] Travers S.”

First Captain, a $1.5-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, debuted a winner going seven furlongs at Belmont Apr. 24 and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after being headed and battling back to win a one-mile allowance May 29.

His charge's progression through his first three starts has impressed trainer Shug McGaughey.

“He was a lot more steady today,” McCaughey said. “I knew he was winning his first two races on ability, but I didn't really know what to think of him. Today, he showed me something, especially that two turns is going to be in the bag, I think. I liked the way he took the dirt; he took it a lot better today than he did the last time. He was a little farther back than I thought he would be. But that's why they are what they are.”

Of a potential next start in the Jim Dandy, McGaughey said, “We'll take a look at it. I'll see how he comes back and how he is when he gets up there. That would be the best-case scenario. I'm glad to get this one.”

Pedigree Notes:

Breeder Bobby Flay purchased First Captain's second dam Lacadena privately after the stakes-placed mare RNA'd for $1.4 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Her daughter America, who RNA'd for $725,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September sale, won the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. and was third in the GI Mother Goose S. and GI Delaware H. First Captain is her first foal. She also has an unraced 2-year-old filly named American Caviar (Curlin), a yearling colt by Uncle Mo and she produced a Curlin filly this year. America RNA'd for $3.1-million while carrying the Uncle Mo colt at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Lacadena is also the dam of Paris Bikini (Bernardini), who produced last year's GI Coaching Club American Oaks winner Paris Lights (Curlin). Paris Bikini has a weanling filly by Uncle Mo and a yearling colt by Always Dreaming.

First Captain's third dam, Butterfly Blue (Ire), is a half-sister to broodmare of the year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister).

First Captain is the 44th graded winner for Curlin. He is the 113th graded winner out of an A.P. Indy mare and the fourth sired by Curlin. The same cross produced last year's GI Woodward S. winner Global Campaign (Curlin).

Monday, Belmont Park
DWYER S.-GIII, $242,500, Belmont, 7-5, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.19, ft.
1–FIRST CAPTAIN, 118, c, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: America (GSW & MGISP, $580,532), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Lacadena, by Fasliyev
3rd Dam: Butterfly Blue (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($1,500,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm LLC, Bobby Flay & Woodford Racing, LLC; B-B Flay Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Claude R McGaughey III; J-Jose L Ortiz. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $237,600. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Ridin With Biden, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Allemande, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($80,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $85,000 2yo '20 EASMAY). O-Cash is King LLC & LC Racing; B-William Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY); T-Robert E Reid Jr. $50,000.
3–Snow House, 118, c, 3, Twirling Candy–Structure, by Bernardini. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H Cox. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 7HF. Odds: 0.40, 11.70, 3.05.
Also Ran: Gershwin, Civil War.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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After ‘Dog-Fight’ Triumph Over Firenze Fire, Mind Control To Target Forego

Rick Sacco of Red Oak Stable, which owns Mind Control in partnership with Madaket Stables, said the multiple Grade 1-winner was bright eyed and happy on Monday following a redemption victory in Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 John A. Nerud at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., where he denied horse-for-course Firenze Fire an eighth victory over Big Sandy.

Making his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the Stay Thirsty bay ended an 0-for-6 slump, battling to the outside of Firenze Fire down the backstretch, ultimately getting the better of his foe by a head. Mind Control, who was reunited with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, replicated a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure garnered in his previous victory in the Grade 3 Tom Fool in March 2020 at Aqueduct.

Mind Control arrived at the Nerud, a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Del Mar, off a close seventh in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1 for his former conditioner Gregg Sacco. Mind Control finished second to Mischevious Alex in his 2021 bow in the Grade 1 Carter on April 3 at the Big A.

Sacco said the seven-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Forego on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course would likely be the next target. Both of Mind Control's previous Grade 1 scores came in seven-furlong events at the Spa, capturing the 2018 Hopeful and 2019 H. Allen Jerkens.

“The Forego is our plan,” Sacco said. “When the horse was turned over to Todd, I told him that we wanted to point to yesterday's race. I knew that would give him enough time to acclimate to Todd's program.

“He came out of it awesome,” Sacco added. “He jogged super this morning and he was bright eyed, so now he'll ship up to Saratoga, get freshened and they'll get him ready for the Forego.”

Mind Control, bred in Kentucky by Red Oak Stable, is out of the Lightnin N Thunder mare Feel That Fire.

“The win means so much to Red Oak because we own the mare Feel That Fire, and we own her mother [Ubetwereven] as well,” said Sacco. “We have such nice foals out of these two mares in the pipeline, so when Mind Control wins, it means a lot to the operation.”

Sacco said Mind Control encountered considerable barriers during his 2020 campaign, including a couple of sloppy tracks. He was a distant sixth and eighth over off going in the Grade 1 Runhappy Carter and last year's Forego, respectively.

“For him to win after so many losses in a row was great. It was a tough campaign last year,” Sacco said. “You train for so long and hit a couple of sloppy tracks. After the first time he ran in the slop, he disliked it. At Saratoga, it was slop again. Two times in his career, he had really sloppy tracks, but you're always working around the weather and working around getting them in the best possible condition. Last year was very tough. We didn't have the type of campaign we wanted to have.”

Sacco said the post-position draw may have played in favor of Mind Control, who exited post 2 Sunday to the outside of Firenze Fire.

“Todd, John and myself knew that Firenze Fire was going to go from the rail,” said Sacco. “There were others that showed good speed, but not of our quality. Johnny said he wasn't going to let the horse get away from him, and that if we got away clean, we were going to apply the pressure. He's a fighter and he doesn't lose those dog-fight type of races.”

Mind Control has a 2-year-old half-sister by Mineshaft named Goddess of Fire, who also will be trained by Pletcher.

“She breezed this morning at Saratoga in what was her second breeze for Todd,” Sacco said. “She has a good foundation underneath her and is a beautiful filly. Mind Control is a medium sized horse and will make a good stallion prospect. He is very correct and well-balanced. She's a great big filly, so I'm sure Todd will take his time with her.”

Despite the differences in conformation, Sacco said Mind Control and Goddess of Fire both display the same professional demeanor.

“Mind Control is very straight forward. You tack him up, he wants to go do his business and not be fooled around with,” Sacco said. “The family is straightforward in the same manner. The whole time we had her on the farm, she just wanted to train and do her business. Both are very businesslike.”

Feel That Fire has a yearling by Candy Ride and is currently in foal to Uncle Mo.

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