Stakes winner Ancient Rome looks to return to winning form Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct
Racetrack, cutting back to six furlongs for the 111th running of the
$100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela.
Ancient Rome, a second-out maiden winner at Delaware Park
in October, capped his 2-year-old season with a nose victory in Gulfstream Park’s Spectacular Bid Stakes at six
furlongs on December 3. The son of Roman Ruler made his two-turn debut in the 1
1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Derby on January 1, finishing a distant
10th and perplexing trainer Tony Dutrow.
“He just didn’t show any run at
all,” said Dutrow. “I thought, coming off sprints, that he would at least show
some speed, but he did not. I’m bewildered to this day about all of it.”
Ancient Rome has been stabled at
Aqueduct since February and counts three works over the inner track, most
recently covering a half-mile in 47.97 on Sunday morning.
“The weather has been so good up
there that he hasn’t missed a day of training, and he’s doing very well,” said
Dutrow. “We’re getting back to what we know he’s good at.”
C.C. Lopez has the call aboard
Ancient Rome, who drew the outside in post position 7 and was made the 5-2
second choice on the morning line.
Dutrow will also send out
Christopher’s Joy, an Exclusive Quality colt owned by Bill and Vicki Poston.
Undefeated in two starts at Parx Racing, Christopher’s Joy made the lead in both
races and was never seriously tested thereafter. He exits a one-length allowance
win on January 22 and worked a bullet half-mile in 47.70 at Parx on Sunday.
“This is a step up for him, and
he has a lot to prove,” said Dutrow. “He’s been training fantastic and is
deserving of a chance.”
Stewart Elliott comes in to ride
Christopher’s Joy, who will leave from post position 4 at 8-1 on the morning
line.
Trainer Chad Brown has also
entered two runners in the Capossela, Beggarthyneighbor, winner of the Dancing
Count Stakes at Laurel Park on January 28, and Hardened Wildcat who exits a
first-level allowance victory on February 10.
The pair worked in company on
Sunday at Belmont
Park, covering five
furlongs in a bullet 1:00.47.
Junior Alvarado was named to ride
Beggarthyneighbor, a son of Half Ours who is owned by Klaravich Stables and
William H. Lawrence. Beggarthyneighbor was tabbed at 6-1 on the morning line and
will leave from post 3. Hardened Wildcat, New Farm’s gelded son of Hard Spun,
drew post 2 under Eddie Castro and was made the 2-1 morning line favorite.
Perfect Trippi and Copy My
Swagger, the 2-3 finishers behind Hardened Wildcat in last month’s first-level
allowance, also will run back in the Capossela.
Mike Repole’s How Do I Win
completes the field. The son of Corinthian has finished fourth behind the
well-regarded Alpha in his two most recent starts, both route stakes at
Aqueduct. In the Capossela, he returns to the distance at which he broke his
maiden and scored in an allowance last fall.
The field for the $100,000
Fred “Cappy” Capossela:
|
PP |
Horse |
Jockey |
Wgt |
Trainer |
Odds |
|
1 |
How Do I Win (KY)
|
C H Velasquez |
118 |
T A Pletcher |
7-2 |
|
2 |
Hardened Wildcat
(KY) |
E Castro |
118 |
C C Brown |
2-1 |
|
3 |
Beggarthyneighbor
(KY) |
J Alvarado |
122 |
C C Brown |
6-1 |
|
4 |
Christopher’s Joy
(FL) |
S Elliott |
118 |
A W
Dutrow |
8-1 |
|
5 |
Perfect Trippi (FL)
|
A Garcia |
116 |
D L Romans |
12-1 |
|
6 |
Copy My Swagger (KY)
|
D Cohen |
118 |
D Jacobson |
15-1 |
|
7 |
Ancient Rome (KY)
|
C C Lopez |
122 |
A W
Dutrow |
5-2 |