'TDN Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke), a 9 1/4-length maiden winner going seven furlongs in the Aqueduct slop Dec. 28, delivered as the 7-5 favorite stretching to 1 1/8 miles in Saturday's downgraded Withers Stakes at the Big A, good for 20 points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. Longshot Surfside Moon (Malibu Moon) was second. Omaha Omaha (Audible) was third.
The 7-5 favorite sat a tracking trip in an outside third, revved up three deep on the far turn and took care of business from there to score by 2 1/4 lengths.
An eventful sixth in his debut for owner/breeder Marylou Whitney Stables and trainer Norm Casse at Churchill Oct. 27, the bay brought $410,000 from St Elias Stable out of the Estate of John Hendrickson dispersal at the 2024 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale.
His third dam is Whitney's 2003 GI Kentucky Oaks heroine and champion 3-year-old filly Bird Town. He hails from the extended female family of GI Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone.
“It feels good that we can head him towards another big race for his next start,” winning trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. said. “I love that. I'm not thinking about the Derby right now, but he did get the job done the right way and he went three-wide around both turns here, didn't break so sharp. First time around two turns, mile and an eighth–he ran big.”
On a potential start in the GII Wood Memorial Stakes Apr. 5, Dutrow added, “We're very excited about running him back in the Wood, and I think that's the next reasonable spot–a mile and an eighth, plenty of time, which he likes…any horse would like plenty of time. We've got a target, we're happy, we're excited.”
WITHERS S., $250,000, Aqueduct, 2-1, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.83, ft.
1–CAPTAIN COOK, 118, c, 3, by Practical Joke
1st Dam: Pow Wow Wow (GSP), by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Elusive Bird, by Elusive Quality
3rd Dam: Bird Town, by Cape Town
($410,000 2yo '24 KEENOV). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-St. Elias
Stable; B-Marylou Whitney Stables, LLC (KY); T-Richard E.
Dutrow, Jr.; J-Manuel Franco. $137,500. Lifetime Record:
3-2-0-0, $188,256.
2–Surfside Moon, 118, c, 3, Malibu Moon–Crescent Lady, by
Scat Daddy. ($55,000 RNA Ylg '23 KEESEP; $60,000 Ylg '23
EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Manor Stable & Mair Lee
Stables; B-Equivine Farm LLC (PA); T-James L. Lawrence II.
$50,000.
3–Omaha Omaha, 118, c, 3, Audible–England Swings, by
Kitten's Joy. O-On Your Left Racing; B-On Your Left Racing, LLC
(VA); T-Michael E. Gorham. $30,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 6HF, 7HF. Odds: 1.45, 33.00, 4.60.
Also Ran: Mo Quality, Uncle Jim, Global Steve, Corvus.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
CAPTAIN COOK charts his course to the @KentuckyDerby with a win in the Withers Stakes! 🌹 He picks up 20 points on the Road to the Derby with @jockeyfranco up for trainer @RickDutrow59. pic.twitter.com/TUrEjTcZj0
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) February 1, 2025
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