The winner of the Withers is trained by Rick Dutrow
The Wood Memorial, which offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers, headlines a stacked card that includes the G2, $300,000 Carter for older horses sprinting seven furlongs; the G3, $200,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers; the G3, $175,000 Distaff at seven furlongs for older fillies and mares; and the Listed $150,000 Excelsior at 10 furlongs for older horses.
Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the Practical Joke bay was completing his sixth work since capturing the nine-furlong Listed Withers last out on Feb. 1 here 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 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.
Captain Cook, stretching out around two turns for the first time in the Withers, earned a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
“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 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Bird Town, a half-sister of 2004 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Travers-victor Birdstone – both out of the reine-de-course mare Dear Birdie.
Dutrow, Jr., also has McAfee nominated to the Grade 2 Wood Memorial. The Cloud Computing dark bay was fifth last-out in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Gotham on March 1 here, picking up five Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
McAfee breezed a half-mile in 49.65 seconds this morning [Thursday] over the Belmont Park dirt training track.
“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. 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.
FMQ Stables’ Masmak, who is pointing to the Listed $150,000 Excelsior, a 1 1/4-mile test for older horses on Wood Memorial Day, covered a half-mile in 49.95 seconds Thursday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.
“It went good. Franco came and worked him. Masmak is all business out there. Everything we’ve done, we’ve never had a setback, so as long as he stays the way he is, he is a horse that will have a good shot anywhere we run him because he always puts in that solid effort,” said Dutrow. “Every time we’ve run him, we felt he might want to go a little further, so we are excited to see what the mile and a quarter brings.”
The 4-year-old Vino Rosso chestnut has posted a 6-4-2-0 record for Dutrow, Jr. including a last-out nine-furlong optional-claiming score over Mama’s Gold which earned a career-best 95 Beyer. The Excelsior would be Masmak’s longest race to date following back-to-back local nine-furlong scores the past two months.
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