Captain Cook breezes towards G2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino

• Captain Cook breezes towards G2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino
• Full Moon Madness works towards G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets
• New York-bred Early On likely for G3 Gazelle
• Quint’s Brew points to G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets; Alogon targets Listed Elusive Quality

St. Elias Stable’s Captain Cook breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds flat Wednesday over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he prepares for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, on April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

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 Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets for older horses sprinting seven furlongs; the Grade 3, $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 Grade 3, $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 February 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 presented by Resorts World Casino. 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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Full Moon Madness works towards G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets

Jay Em Ess Stable’s Kentucky homebred Full Moon Madness breezed a half-mile in 50.21 seconds on Wednesday over the Belmont Park dirt training track as he nears the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, on April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

“It was basic stuff,” trainer Michelle Nevin said of the solo work. “Yes, that [the Carter] is the plan.”

The 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding has pointed to the Carter since a 1 1/4-length win in the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool on March 1 here. That score came in prominent fashion over possible returning foes Surveillance and Top Gunner, earning a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.

“It was a great run,” Nevin said. “I haven’t seen all the players that are going in yet, we’ll see. I mean maybe him breaking a little better is the key to helping him, but we are going to have to see and find out. Hopefully, he can break sharp again.”

Full Moon Madness holds a record of 12-4-2-3 with $362,250 in earnings and his last three wins coming at six furlongs here. He has hit the board in his last five starts, all at the Big A, including a third in the seven-furlong Listed Toboggan in February after a close second in the six-furlong Listed Gravesend in December.

Full Moon Madness is out of the dual Grade 1-winning Indian Charlie mare By the Moon, who captured the 2014 Frizette and 2017 Ballerina on the NYRA-circuit for the same connections. Nevin also trains Full Moon Madness’ sophomore half-sister Moonlit Drive, who is entered in a seven-furlong optional claimer on Friday in Race 7. 

“They develop into very, very nice horses. They are nice looking horses. They are very classy to be around,” said Nevin. “They are just a nice bunch of horses.”

The Quality Road bay, who finished fourth in the seven-furlong Ruthless last out on February 1 here, is tabbed at 4-1 in rein to Manny Franco.

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New York-bred Early On likely for G3 Gazelle

C2 Racing Stable, Ken Reimer, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch and Bradley Kent’s stakes-placed New York-bred Early On is expected to scratch Saturday at Gulfstream Park and instead make her next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

The Union Rags bay is one of three fillies entered by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. in Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks along with The Queens M G and Paradise City.

Early On graduated at fourth asking when stretched out to a two-turn 1 1/16-miles for the first time on February 5 at Gulfstream Park. There, she tracked from fourth-of-5 under Dylan Davis before angling wide for the stretch run and drawing off to win by 5 1/4-lengths. The maiden score generated a career-best 71 Beyer Speed Figure.

Last out, in the one-turn 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks on March 15 at Colonial Downs, Early On was bumped hard and in tight at the break, before racing in fifth position through the early running. She shifted out for the stretch drive and closed to finish second, defeated a half-length by the undefeated Fondly. Early On picked up 25 points for the effort which garnered a 69 Beyer.

“She ran well both times going a mile and a sixteenth. The distance definitely helps her,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She won impressively going two turns the first time at Gulfstream. Last time, it was a one-turn mile and a sixteenth, but I thought she ran well.

“Distance is going to be her forte,” Joseph, Jr. added. “She needs nine furlongs, and she’ll even go a mile and a quarter. She’s very steady – one paced – but she keeps going. The distance at Aqueduct will help her a lot. She’s coming back a bit quick, but so far, she’s doing well. If she works well this weekend, we’re going to give it a go.”

Bred by John Lauriello, Early On is out of the Distorted Humor mare Sally O’Brien – a half-sister to multiple stakes-winner Lipstick City. Early On was purchased for $20,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale.

Peachtree Stable and Stefania Farms’ maiden winner Bear Claw Necklace could come under consideration for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 5 at the Big A.

The Lord Nelson bay graduated at second asking sprinting seven furlongs on December 1 at Gulfstream Park and followed last out with a distant third to the victorious Praetor in a one-mile optional-claimer on March 9 at the Hallandale Beach oval.

Joseph, Jr., who won the 2023 Wood Memorial with longshot Lord Miles, said Bear Claw Necklace will work Friday in Florida.

“He’s possible for the Wood, but I want to see how he works tomorrow,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He won second time out and then ran a distant third the other day off the layoff. The winner of that race was very impressive.”

A $19,000 OBS October Yearling Sale purchase, Bear Claw Necklace’s graded stakes-placed second dam Chasethegold is a half-sister to Grade 1-winners Albertus Maximus and Daredevil.

Joseph, Jr. could also be represented on the Wood Memorial Day card by Michael J. Ryan’s Dilger in the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets.

“He’s training well. He’s going to breeze tomorrow and all being well, we’ll give him a shot in the Carter,” Joseph, Jr. said.

Dilger earned a graded placing with a third-place finish in last year’s Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland and recently captured a six-furlong optional-claiming sprint on March 2 at Gulfstream Park.

Joseph, Jr. will be represented by a plethora of stakes starters Saturday at Gulfstream, including White Abarrio, who is entered in the Grade 3 Ghostzapper which will be a stepping stone towards the Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 7 as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

“He’s doing well. He’ll run in the Ghostzapper on Saturday and that is a prep for the Met Mile which is an important one we’d like to win this year,” Joseph, Jr. said. “So far, so good. Hopefully, he can have a fantastic year.”

Joseph, Jr. said he plans to have as many as 40 horses at Saratoga this summer as he looks to build on a 35-11-5-4 campaign last summer that included stakes wins from The Queens M G [Listed Schuylerville, Grade 3 Adirondack] and Spirit Wind [Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap].

“We’re going to bring horses up early this year,” Joseph, Jr. said. “White Abarrio will come up early, too. He does well when he gets there early. We’ll have the most horses we’ve ever had at Saratoga this year.

“Everybody loves Saratoga,” Joseph, Jr. added. “The weather is amazing, and the racing is great. It’s definitely a place you want to be. It worked good for us last year, having horses there early and we had a great meet. We want to repeat what worked.”

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Quint’s Brew points to G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets; Alogon targets Listed Elusive Quality

Paul Berube, Karen Linnell, and Hearther B. Hunter’s Maryland-bred Quint’s Brew is pointing to the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses on April 5, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Ned Allard, the 4-year-old Mosler dark bay has won both his starts this year in impressive fashion traveling one-turn at Laurel Park. He earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for a six-length romp in the restricted one-mile Jennings on January 18 and followed on February 15 with a 5 1/2-length score in the Listed General George traveling seven furlongs over muddy and sealed footing, which garnered a career-best 101.

“He’s coming off of two very good wins. He’s fresh and seven-eighths hits him in the head,” Allard said. “It’s stepping up a notch, but as nicely as he’s won his last two races, you have to give him a good shot in there depending on who else goes in.

“He’s impressed me, and he’s impressed the owners,” Allard added. “Let’s hope he can keep on impressing us.”

Quint’s Brew made his first three starts for trainer Michael Gorham at Laurel Park, winning his first two outings impressively while stretching out from a six-furlong graduation last March to one mile in April.

He stepped into stakes company in June when crossing the wire a troubled third in the restricted Star de Naskra and was eventually elevated to second following the disqualification of Celtic Contender from first to third.

Quint's Brew was subsequently entered in an October allowance but grabbed a quarter and had to be scratched putting an end to his 2024 campaign.

“When I ran him the first time, he hadn’t run in six months so that was pretty impressive,” Allard said. “The Jennings was a one-turn mile, and he was very impressive. I thought he was going to run well that day, but he really impressed me. He trains like a good horse and he’s certainly now running like one also.”

Charles T. Matses’ graded stakes-placed Kentucky homebred Alogon had his second work back Thursday, covering three-eighths in 38 flat at Delaware Park, as he prepares for a start in the Listed $150,000 Elusive Quality, a six-furlong turf sprint for older horses on May 3 at Belmont at the Big A.

The 6-year-old California Chrome chestnut won a pair of Listed stakes last year, taking the Parx Dash in August along with a dead-heat for victory with Works For Me in the Turf Sprint Championship at Aqueduct in November to close out a six-race campaign that included a close third in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint in October here.

“I gave him a little bit of a break and he came back and looks great. He’s training dynamite,” Allard said. “I turned him out on a farm near Fair Hill for 60 days and then we Aqua-tredded him for about five weeks and now he’s back in training with me and doing super.

“We did the same thing with him the year before and it worked well,” Allard added. “So, we’re hoping for more good results this year. He loves Aqueduct. He was third beaten a length and three-quarters in the Belmont Turf Sprint and came back and dead-heated to win the Aqueduct one. As a 6-year-old, I think he’ll have a great year.”

Alogon has banked $397,799 through a 19-6-2-4 record.

Allard also noted that graded stakes-winner Dean Delivers and graded stakes-placed Sunny Breeze are also returning for a 2025 campaign.

“We have Dean Delivers back in training and Sunny Breeze is back and training well,” Allard said. “We’re pretty excited about the barn having a good year. We had a good year last year and I hope we can duplicate it.”