Captain Cook Makes Big Impression in Withers Win

An impressive 9 ¼ length Maiden Special Weight winner last out, Captain Cook (3c Practical Joke x Pow Wow Wow, by Indian Charlie) jumped on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Saturday with a powerful victory in the Withers Stakes.

Racing over 1 1/8 miles in the Kentucky Derby prep, the Practical Joke sophomore closely attended the leading Uncle Jim throughout the race with Mo Quality doing the same. Racing from a wide position, Captain Cook was in prime position to come up the outside when he was ready to make his move and that was exactly what he did.

Manny Franco asked more from the Rick Dutrow trainee at the quarter pole and a furlong later left the only horse to stick with him behind. Asked by Franco to run all the way to the line, Captain Cook won by 2 ¼ lengths with the third-place runner 6 ½ lengths behind the runner-up.

"We’re very happy with him, man. We have been happy with him since he’s run. Coming up to this race, we were kind of just not knowing where we were at. Since we’ve seen him run the first time, we began to get more confidence and got to know him better – I got to see him come out of a race, stuff like that, and it’s all been good since he’s run. I hope that continues on,” said Dutrow.

Purchased by Steve Young from Gainesway $410,000 at last November’s Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Sale, the Marylou Whitney-bred Captain Cook races for St. Elias Stable.

Captain Cook is out of Grade II-placed Pow Wow Wow, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Gorgeous Bird. Pow Wow Wow is also a granddaughter of successful racemare Bird Town, who produced Grade II winner Bird Song. The mare is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Birdstone.

Practical Joke is also the sire of Grade I Kentucky Oaks hopeful Simply Joking with his current crop of 3-year-olds including 10 stakes performers led by five stakes winners.