Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Wyner has Capo Kane ready for best effort in Gotham
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – That Harold Wyner is cutting Capo Kane back to a one-turn mile in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct doesn’t mean he’s giving up on trying to get to the Kentucky Derby.
“I still believe he’s a horse that can go a mile and an eighth, mile and a quarter,” Wyner said Sunday.
Capo Kane, who won the onemile Jerome Stakes here on New Year’s Day, will look to rebound from a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Withers when he starts in the Gotham. The top four finishers in the Gotham earn qualifying points (50-20-10-5) to the May 1 Kentucky Derby.
Wyner said Capo Kane might have been a short horse in the Withers due to missed training time due to poor track conditions at Parx Racing, where the horse is based.
“I missed five days of training, missed a breeze going into the Withers. I didn’t have him 100 percent tight,” Wyner said.
Despite working around more winter weather, Wyner has gotten two strong works into Capo Kane since the Withers, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.21 at Parx last Friday. Wyner said he put Capo Kane behind horses for that breeze. The horse who has mostly been in front early in his races took the dirt well and galloped out strong, Wyner said.
“I want to make sure he’s 100 percent tight for this race,” Wyner said. “I’ve been able to train him the way I wanted to train and spaced his breezes out the way I wanted.”
Entries for the Gotham are to be taken Wednesday. There remain four confirmed starters in Capo Kane (Dylan Davis), Freedom Fighter (Manny Franco), Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano), and Wipe the Slate (Kendrick
Carmouche).
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said he would run either Awesome Gerry or Irish Honor, both of whom worked Sunday at Gulfstream Park. Smiley Sobotka, Weyburn, and The Reds also are possible.
Miss Brazil all set for Busher
Trainer Tony Dutrow believes he’ll find out a little more about Miss Brazil when she runs in Saturday’s $250,000 Busher Invitational than he did when she beat two rivals in last month’s Ruthless Stakes. What Dutrow believes he already knows is he’ll see the best of what Miss Brazil has when she tries a mile for the first time in the Busher.
“Physically, mentally, I do not think she could be doing any better,” Dutrow said. “She is ready in every way to show what she is.”
Dutrow spoke Sunday morning after Miss Brazil worked a half-mile in 47.94 seconds over the Belmont Park training track. She worked in company with recent allowance winner Maiden Beauty, and the two had the fastest timed works at the half-mile distance over a training track listed as good. There were 60 workers at the distance.
Miss Brazil, a daughter of Palace Malice, will be seeking her third straight win in the Busher. After finishing third in her debut on turf on Oct. 25, Miss Brazil switched to the dirt, where she won a maiden race by 2 1/2 lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 29. Following a planned break, Miss Brazil came back Feb. 8 to win the Ruthless by 6 1/4 lengths.
“It was a workout,” Dutrow said. “I’m not disrespecting anybody. They came to her a little bit at the top of the stretch, and she opened up. But she’s going to face the best she’s ever faced in the Busher.”
The Busher field is expected to include New York-bred stakes winners Laobanonaprayer and Make Mischief, Busanda Stakes winner The Grass Is Blue, Grade 3 Forward Gal runnerup Lady Traveler, and maiden winners Search Results and Mo Desserts. Baba and Fraudulent Charge, added to the invitee list on Sunday, are possible.
On Sunday, The Grass Is Blue worked a half-mile in 49.46 by herself over the Belmont training track.
The top four finishers in the Busher earn qualifying points (50-20-10-5) toward the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs.
Wendell Fong to Tom Fool
Wendell Fong got a little freshening on a farm following his upset victory in the Fire Plug Stakes on Jan. 16 at Laurel Park. After returning to Belmont and the work tab, Wendell Fong was deemed ready to go back at it in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap at Aqueduct.
Trainer Natalia Lynch said the Tom Fool was an afterthought until she breezed him a half-mile in 50.40 seconds on Friday at Belmont.
“I let him breeze to see about his fitness, and he did it pretty well,” Lynch said. “I was letting him tell me if he wants to [run] or not.”
Wendell Fong gave Lynch her first career victory as a trainer when he got up in the final strides to nail Share the Ride by a neck in the Fire Plug. That victory looks even better after Share the Ride came back to win the Grade 3 General George on Feb. 20. Share the Ride, who rarely misses a dance, is among those expected for the Tom Fool.
Following the Fire Plug, Lynch sent Wendell Fong to Patty Hogan’s farm in central New Jersey for two weeks of turnout.
“I thought it was a treat for him,” Lynch said. “I think it’s good to let them all go out in the field and just be horses.”
Lynch said Trevor McCarthy will ride Wendell Fong in the Tom Fool.
Others expected for the Tom Fool include Chateau, Happy Farm, My Boy Tate, Pete’s Play Call, and Speed Pass. American Power is possible.