2nd-KEE, $50,733, Msw, 4-11, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.19, ft.
HARGUS (c, 2, Capo Bastone–Call My Lawyer, by Put It Back), the less-fancied of a pair of Wesley Ward trainees at 2-1, broke alertly from a wide post with only his stablemate Odie (Scat Daddy) away quicker and drawn even wider. That pair locked horns through an opening quarter in :22.33, with 7-5 Odie starting to inch clear approaching the quarter pole. Hargus wasn't done yet, however, and he dug in gamely from the fence and kicked clear from Odie under a hand ride to post an auspicious 2 1/2-length tally. Hargus becomes the first winner for his freshman sire (by Street Boss), who has just 14 registered 2-year-olds. Co-bred by the late Hargus Sexton, 'TDN Rising Star' Capo Bastone upset the 2013 GI King's Bishop S. Owner Danny Pate pinhooked star-crossed eventual 'Rising Star', SW and GSP Mourinho (Super Saver) from a $30,000 KEESEP yearling to $625,000 OBS March grad of 2017. Sales history: $9,000 RNA Ylg '17 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $26,820. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Danny Pate; B-J. D. Stuart (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward.
In Sharper Focus: A Memorable Win for Danny Pate's Hargus
Any time you win a maiden race at Keeneland it is a special occasion, but for owner Danny Pate, his victory with Hargus (Capo Bastone) in yesterday's second race at the Lexington track is one that will forever be hard to top. Not only did Pate unveil a horse with obvious ability, but the colt was named after his close friend Hargus Sexton. Sexton passed away in June at age 96.
Pate operates Starting Point Training Center in Ocala, which is located close to the farm that was owned by Sexton. The two became close friends and also business partners in a number of Thoroughbred ventures. Sexton was the co-breeder of Hargus's sire, Capo Bastone.
“Hargus was a father figure to me,” Pate said. “He was a mentor and he was a brilliant guy.”
Hargus was bred by John Stuart. According to Pate, Stuart had three weanlings in 2016 that he needed someone to look after and worked out a deal with Pate in which he turned over a 50% interest in each one in return for Starting Point not charging him for its services.
“John called me one day and said that he wanted to keep a filly we had together, one by Run Away and Hide,” Pate said. “So he offered a trade. He'd own 100% of that filly and in return I would own 100% of the Capo Bastone colt. It was fine with me.
“Just as soon as I hung up the phone with John the strangest thing happened. Out of nowhere, the Capo Bastone started flying around the field. He ran around like crazy for about 15 minutes.”
But Pate clearly had no idea at that point what kind of ability Hargus had. He entered the horse in the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall sale and the colt did not meet his reserve of $9,000. Pate said there was not a single bid on the horse.
“I can tell you why he didn't sell,” he said. “It was because he was by Capo Bastone. That's the way it is in this game. They want to give everything for the really well bred ones and nothing for everyone else. He was always a beautiful individual with a great walk, a great shoulder and a great attitude.”
So Pate brought him back home to Florida, named him Hargus and prepared him for his racing career. He said that as an owner he had previously run five 2-year-olds at Keeneland and was beaten all five times by Wesley Ward. Tired of losing to Ward, he turned the colt over to his one-time nemesis.
Hargus won by 2 1/2 lengths over another Ward trainee, Odie (Scat Daddy).
“I thought he'd get them, Pate said. “He was really working well at home. He worked a half mile up there the other day in :49, and that's unheard of at my track. We knew he had a lot of talent.”
As is often the case when a horse wins a 2-year-old maiden at Keeneland, Pate said he's already hearing from people who want to buy Hargus. He said he would consider selling a portion of the colt at some point, but as for right now he's more focused on his upcoming racing schedule. Hargus's next start will be in the May 3 Kentucky Juvenile at Churchill Downs and Pate said if he runs well there, a start at Royal Ascot could be next.
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