After nailing down his first graded stakes win in his previous start, John Oxley's Sky Captain will try to extend his win streak to four straight when he faces an expected five rivals in the $150,000 Seagram Cup Stakes (Can-III) Aug. 3 at Woodbine.
Racing on dirt in Florida and New York last season, Sky Captain failed to register a victory in three starts. But moved to the Polytrack surface at Woodbine for his 4-year-old season, the Sky Mesa colt has responded. In the spring, Sky Captain registered victories in an allowance race and allowance/optional claiming race at Woodbine before returning July 1 to post a one-length victory in the Dominion Day Stakes (Can-III). He defeated grade II winner and 1-9 favorite Frac Daddy in a field of five.
Conditioned by Woodbine's leading trainer Mark Casse, Sky Captain faces another small field and again will receive the services of jockey Patrick Husbands, who has been aboard for each of the previous three victories.
At 121 pounds for Sunday's 1 1/16-mile race, Sky Captain is the co-highweight with muliptle stakes winner Pender Harbour. A 5-year-old Philanthropist gelding, Pender Harbour won two-thirds of the Canadian Triple Crown in 2011 and he boasts seven career stakes wins on the main track and turf at Woodbine.
Pender Harbour's most recent stakes score came two starts back when he won the Steady Growth for the second time in three years, registering a clear win over seven other Ontario-breds. Pender Harbour will seek his first graded stakes win in Sunday's race.
Also entered Sunday is defending Seagam Cup winner Alpha Bettor, who won an allowance race July 6 at Woodbine at seven furlongs. The multiple grade II winner draws the rail with Justin Stein back aboard.
Ultimate Destiny, second to Alpha Bettor in last year's Seagram Cup, and His Race to Win and Peyton, third and fourth, respectively, in the Dominion Day, complete the field.
Monmouth Park, Sunday, July 27, 2014, Race 7Entries: Molly Pitcher S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Triple Arch (KY) Orlando Bocachica 116 Marcus J. Vitali - 2 2Blue Violet (KY) Kerwin D. Clark 116 J. Larry Jones - 3 3Montana Native (KY) Joe Bravo 116 Christophe Clement - 4 4Swinger's Party (FL) Martin Garcia 116 Martin D. Wolfson - 5 5Zucchini Flower (KY) Trevor McCarthy 116 H. Graham Motion - 6 6Lucky Rag Doll (KY) Angel Serpa 116 Patrick B. McBurney - 7 7Made Up (KY) Abel Castellano, Jr. 116 Scott P. Hammond - 8 8Natalie Victoria (FL) Jose Lezcano 118 Michelle Nevin - 9 9Majestic River (KY) Rosie Napravnik 118 Todd A. Pletcher -
