First Captain Headlines Friday’s Curlin Stakes At Saratoga

First Captain has stamped himself as a rising star through a perfect 3-for-3 record, and will try to keep winning ways intact when racing outside of Belmont Park for the first time in Friday's 12th running of the $120,000 Curlin for sophomores going nine furlongs at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The restricted stakes outing for 3-year-olds who have not won a stakes race over one mile in 2021 is named in honor of the 2007-08 Horse of the Year who became the first North American thoroughbred to reach the $10 million earnings mark. Through a record of 16-11-2-2, Curlin captured the 2007 Preakness, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Breeders' Cup Classic during his 3-year-old campaign before adding four more Grade 1 events to his ledger in the Dubai World Cup, Stephen Foster, Woodward, and Jockey Club Gold Cup the following year.

First Captain will look to become the second Curlin offspring to capture his sire's namesake race after Connect won in 2013. Since breaking his maiden at seven furlongs by three-quarters of a length over next-out winner Mahaamel in April at Belmont Park, First Captain scored once more against winners five weeks later over Big Sandy going a one-turn mile.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey entered First Captain for his first stakes test last out in the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 5 at Belmont Park, and he handled the class boost with flying colors, capturing the one-turn mile by 1 ¾ lengths.

“He is doing really well up here,” McGaughey said. “He lost his whole 2-year-old year so he's still behind, but he's trying to catch up. I think that his last race was good and he certainly likes this track here. I'm looking forward to it. We have been taking it one step at a time.”

First Captain is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing, and celebrity culinary artist Bobby Flay, the latter of whom also bred the chestnut colt.

Purchased for $1.5 million from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, First Captain is out of the graded stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed A.P. Indy broodmare America and hails from the prestigious line of blue hen mare Best in Show, whose descendants include Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and Rags to Riches as well as multiple Group 1-winning Irish champion distaffer Peeping Fawn.

Jockey Jose Ortiz, who guided 2019 Curlin victor Highest Honors, retains the mount from post 4.

Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Thoroughbreds' Collaborate seeks to live up to the hype he garnered following an astonishing 12 ½-length maiden romp on February 27 at a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The son of Into Mischief followed with a distant fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Florida Derby for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

After a significant cutback in distance when third to stablemate Moonlite Strike in the 6 ½-furlong Roar on May 15, Collaborate defeated winners in a one-mile allowance on June 20, both at Gulfstream Park.

“The Florida Derby was a bit disappointing; but it was probably a bit quick back also,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He ran third after that. We did a minor throat procedure on him and thought we saw the right horse last time going a mile again. I'm hoping to build on that. The Curlin will be a big test.”

Collaborate is out of the graded stakes-winning Quiet American mare Quiet Temper and was bought for $600,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will ride from post 6.

Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One is the lone Kentucky Derby alumni in the Curlin field and has not raced since finishing 18th in the 'Run for the Roses.'

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of Union Rags broke his maiden at fourth asking at nine furlongs on March 7 at Aqueduct.

“He got a good freshening after the Derby, and we've been thinking about the Curlin since then,” said Pletcher, who previously saddled Turbo Compressor [2011] and Outplay [2017] to Curlin scores. “He's trained accordingly, and we'll see if he can make a move forward. He and [Kentucky Oaks winner] Malathaat trained quite a bit together at Belmont and made good companions on a similar schedule.”

Dynamic One registered his final work for the Curlin on Friday, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.20 over the Oklahoma training track.

“I thought he handled it fine,” Pletcher said of the breeze. “He's always been a good work horse and trained really well. He's still putting it all together. Hopefully, as he continues to mature, he will continue to improve.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post 7.

Susan Quick and Christopher Feifarek's Beren arrives at the Curlin as the most seasoned horse in the field with ten starts and brings three consecutive stakes victories into the race for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.

The son of Weigelia, a previous track record holder at Belmont Park for six furlongs over the inner turf [1:07.04 on June 17, 2006], captured the Gold Fever and an off-the-turf edition of the Paradise Creek over Big Sandy before beating his Pennsylvania-bred counterparts in the Crowd Pleaser on June 22 at Parx Racing.

Reid, Jr. said Beren, who breezed a bullet half-mile in :46.60 seconds Friday over the Saratoga main track, could cross-enter in the $200,000 Grade 2 Amsterdam on August 1 going 6 ½ furlongs.

“We may end up cross-entering in the Amsterdam. He breezed awful fast the other day and I'm not sure that's conducive to going a mile and eighth the way he breezed. He came out of it great and hasn't missed an oat. He's doing very well,” Reid, Jr. said. “My inclination is to keep him around two turns, but the way he breezed the other day, it looks like he really handled the track well. He gives you options, that's for sure.”

Reid, Jr. did not rule out starting Beren on turf at some point.

“We wanted to try the turf with him too, but that one rained off,” Reid, Jr. said. “His father was the track record holder at Belmont at six furlongs on the turf. His mother, Silmaril, was a multiple-graded-stakes winner. He's very well bred and we have a lot of options. We'll see how he goes the next couple of days and make up our minds.”

Jockey Frankie Pennington retains the mount from post 5.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset will saddle CHC and WinStar Farm's regally-bred Harvard, a full-brother to 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Classic Empire who is unbeaten in two starts around two turns.

After making the third time the charm in his two-turn debut in May at Indiana Grand, the son of Pioneerof the Nile bested winners in a nine-furlong allowance race on June 11 at Churchill Downs, which featured next-out winner Dack Janiel's.

Harvard will be ridden by Luis Saez from post 3.

Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta's Miles D, a son of Curlin, makes his two-turn debut for trainer Chad Brown after a sharp one-turn mile maiden triumph on June 12 at Belmont Park. The bay colt made his first start since October, when fourth on debut finishing behind Speaker's Corner and stakes-winners Caddo River and Greatest Honour.

Breaking from post 1, Miles D will be ridden by Joel Rosario.

Completing the field is Juddmonte Farms' Snow House, who was previously third in the Grade 3 Dwyer. The bay son of Twirling Candy broke his maiden going a two-turn mile on April 21 at Keeneland Race Course before defeating winners around a one-turn mile on May 29 at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox.

Snow House will break from post 2 under Manny Franco.

The Curlin is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Two Fresh Forces For The Next Cycle

Every year, like the fireflies, they emerge with the gathering heat of summer. Even as the more established sophomores hobble out of the Triple Crown series–many requiring rest or recuperation, some even menaced by retirement–a second wave reliably reinvigorates the crop. Sure enough, in recent days a couple of new names have volunteered themselves to test the resilience of those Classic protagonists who do persevere to Saratoga and beyond.

But while both share a fresh, progressive profile, in other respects they could scarcely be more different. 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain (Curlin), winner of the GIII Dwyer S. on his stakes debut Monday, is beginning to live up to his onerous billing as a $1.5 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga joint sale-topper by one of the world's leading stallions. In contrast Masqueparade, who won the GIII Ohio Derby the previous weekend, belongs to the very first crop of Upstart, an aptly named $10,000 foil at Airdrie to Hill 'n' Dale's $175,000 veteran.

If anything, First Captain's pedigree has become even more aristocratic since his presentation by one of the greatest of our horsemen, Arthur Hancock of Stone Farm, at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in 2019. For he represents a celebrated dynasty already refreshed this year not only by GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (Tapit), but also by the 4-year-old Cezanne, another son of Curlin to have vindicated the top price at an elite sale. (Though it must be acknowledged that the $3.65 million Gulfstream 2-year-old has again evinced his fragility since that stunning return in the GIII Kona Gold S.).

Greatest Honour, Cezanne and First Captain all trace their ancestry to the matriarch Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), the GI Kentucky Oaks winner of 1982 whose daughter Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) famously produced consecutive winners of the GI Belmont S.–Jazil (Seeking the Gold, 2006) and Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy, 2007). Both Greatest Honour and Cezanne do so through Better Than Honour herself, as second and third dam, respectively; but First Captain's mother, the Grade III winner America (A.P. Indy), is a granddaughter of Better Than Honour's half-sister Butterfly Blue (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).

It is remarkable to remind ourselves now that Blush With Pride was cashed in at the age of 18, for $635,000 at the Keeneland November Sale of 1997. At that stage, Better Than Honour was still only a yearling, but John Magnier and his partners in Coolmore–as so often–were ahead of the game even with an ageing mare who had appeared to make patchy use of her opportunities. By the time Better Than Honour had developed into an excellent track performer, and then an even better broodmare, Blush With Pride had closed out her own breeding career in Ireland with four foals by Coolmore's champion sire Sadler's Wells.

The first of these turned out to be the Group 1-placed juvenile Maryinsky (Ire), who later produced elite runners in Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and Thewayyouare (Kingmambo). And the next was Butterfly Blue (Ire), who only broke her maiden on the final of nine starts (albeit highly tried on occasion) for Aidan O'Brien and was culled with a maiden cover by Fasliyev, a precocious sprinter by Nureyev, for $610,000 to Horse France at Keeneland November in 2004.

The filly she was carrying that day was sold in the same ring 12 months later, for $290,000, to the late Jim Sapara of Winsong Farm. And it was only a couple of weeks after this filly, meanwhile named Lacadena, had added a stakes placing to her debut success at Woodbine in 2007 that her dam's half-sister was credited with her second Belmont success.

Her family tree having duly obtained a historic new distinction, Lacadena failed to meet her reserve at $1.4 million at Keeneland that November. Nonetheless, she resurfaced the following year in the silks of Bobby Flay, and though unable to win in a light sophomore campaign, she would prove a fertile investment.

Most obviously, when returned to Keeneland in 2015 to realize $1.3 million from Heider Family Stables. In the meantime, however, she had produced two significant daughters. One, Paris Bikini (Bernardini), brought $425,000 on finishing a mildly successful track career–only to work a big profit for WinStar last year when sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.95 million at Fasig-Tipton last November, her homebred daughter Paris Lights (Curlin) having won the GI Coaching Club American Oaks.

The other high achiever bred by Flay from Lacadena was America, the dam of First Captain. She was boldly retained at $725,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, a gamble that paid off fairly handsomely. For a start, she proved a productive performer for Bill Mott, winning five of 22 starts and adding podiums in the GI Mother Goose S. and GI Delaware H. to success in the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. And she was then, very presciently, mated with the sire of Paris Lights just days after that filly was foaled. The result is First Captain, who topped the Saratoga Sale just weeks before she was offered with an Uncle Mo cover at Fasig-Tipton in November 2019. Once again, the reserve was both ambitious–she was retained at $3.1 million–

and astute. Her half-sister, remember, would only be exalted by the rise of Paris Lights the following year.

The docket for her Curlin colt had been signed in as many as seven different names, but that of Flay himself has meanwhile resurfaced alongside three of them–West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm and Woodford Racing–in the partnership registered behind First Captain for his belated, but immaculate start for Shug McGaughey. After beating a next-out 'Rising Star' Mahaamel (Into Mischief) over seven furlongs in April, he graduated to an allowance score over a mile of slop before landing the odds, albeit not in the most flamboyant fashion, by reeling in a front-runner in the Dwyer. In fairness, he was forced wide entering the stretch and a second turn will doubtless tell us more about the feasibility of the GI Runhappy Travers S.

Given his trainer's admirable circumspection, the Curlin S. may well appeal not just for its aptness, but also as a less-searching rehearsal than the GII Jim Dandy S. Whatever happens, he will surely keep progressing. Even at the most elementary level, you would expect a Curlin colt out of an A.P. Indy mare to flourish with maturity and distance; and the anterior intervention of Sadler's Wells in one of the modern breed's landmark Classic families can only serve that orientation.

A.P. Influence Behind the 'Masque'…

A.P. Indy is also a significant presence behind Masqueparade, who is by a grandson and whose damsire is out of one of his daughters. This is a different kind of slow burn. Whereas First Captain was late on the scene, but landed running, Masqueparade did get onto the track at two (albeit only just) but then required four attempts round the Fair Grounds to break his maiden. With those foundations laid, however, he proved a revelation when Al Stall Jr. brought him up to Churchill, winning an allowance on the Derby undercard by just shy of a dozen lengths; and he then consolidated that breakthrough by seeing off some quite accomplished rivals at Thistledown.

I do like the antecedents of this horse, who represents not only a model barn, but also one of the most exemplary programs in the Bluegrass, having been bred by Brereton C. Jones in support of Upstart's debut at Airdrie Stud. (A $100,000 weanling pinhook, he made $180,000 from FTGGG as a yearling.) Masqueparade's dam, Cry War Eagle (Any Given Saturday), was recruited to the farm on her retirement for just $40,000 at Keeneland January 2015. It says plenty about our strange industry that her value as a weanling had depreciated so steeply–she had changed hands for $170,000 in the same ring-despite winning five of 20 starts in the meantime.

That record was sewn from hardy genetic reserves: her half-brother Actin Good (Yes It's True) was a stakes winner or graded stakes-placed in four consecutive seasons, including the GIII Pegasus S. among five wins in 25 starts overall. And their dam was a half-sister to Voice Of Destiny (Mane Minister), teak winner of 24 races (including a couple of graded stakes) between the ages of two and 10! Moreover, the next dam is an Alysheba half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Very Subtle (Hoist the Silver) plus another brisk one in Schematic (Upper Mile), whose respective win tallies ended up 12-for-29 and eight-for-15.

We can rely on Airdrie to draw out such wholesome ingredients not just in their broodmare band, but also in their stallion roster. Sure enough, Upstart was Grade I-placed at two, three and four, besides thrashing Frosted by five and a half lengths in the GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S.

How very auspicious, then, that Upstart should have made such a businesslike start with his first juveniles last year. Reinvestment Risk romped in an early maiden Saratoga to become a 'Rising Star' before twice chasing home speedball Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) at Grade I level, while only the runaway train Not This Time mustered more freshman winners. Consistent with his own track profile, Upstart is now maintaining that momentum in a second campaign where only the eccentric case of Protonico deprives him of the highest earnings-per-named-foal among active Kentucky stallions in this intake.

In the meantime, moreover, he was again in conspicuous demand at the 2-year-old sales, advancing what was already a good yield for his second crop of yearlings (his $45,159 average held up well against fee, not least in a pandemic market and while rehousing as many as 41 out of 47 into the ring) as high as $113,250. Moreover, he has already bucked the usual trend, his first yearlings having been received so warmly (average $63,608) that his fourth book, a notoriously challenging one for most sires, went right back up to 90 after taking the customary slide from 146 to 86 and then just 38.

Both as a runner and a sire, Upstart has introduced more precocity than we associate with the Flatter brand. But remember how another son of Flatter, West Coast, is one of the best recent examples of the type of late-on-the-scene sophomore under discussion. (Though credited with beating all three Classic winners in his Travers, it would be churlish to pretend that they had made it to Saratoga in the same kind of form). So don't be surprised to see Upstart consolidate from here.

Other new names will doubtless emerge to challenge those who have absorbed the grueling Triple Crown trail, though Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) tore up the script prepared for odds-on Fulsome (Into Mischief) in the GIII Indiana Derby Wednesday. Remarkably, the breeders of Mr. Wireless, John and Iveta Kerber, had also been responsible for Iowa Derby winner Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) just five days previously. The Kerbers remain involved in Stilleto Boy and will be hoping to secure due reward for this notable achievement when he enters the ring at Fasig Tipton next week as hip 557 at the Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Not all of these later developers, of course, will cope with the raising of the bar. Some, like those fireflies, will fade away as shyly as they have emerged. But one or two, perhaps, will discover a glow that endures even until mirrored by the Pacific sunset at the Breeders' Cup in November.

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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.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the 48-day spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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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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