Photo:

Eclipse Sportswire & NYRA / Coglianese Photo – edited composite

On an afternoon when several good young colts ran and won, most notably the 2024 juvenile champion Citizen Bull, it might be easy to overlook the Withers winner. That could prove to be a mistake. Rick Dutrow-trained Captain Cook looks the part of a nice horse. He’s a colt who could make some real noise on this year’s Kentucky Derby trail.

Once an important race won by the likes of Man O’ War, Count Fleet, Native Dancer, and Dr. Fager, the Withers Stakes is not what it once was.

Derby prep: Captain Cook stalks and scores in Withers.

Now trying to find its way as an early-season prep for both the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Kentucky Derby, there have been a few good horses like Early Voting and Hit Show who have won the race in recent years.

Still, the race lost its graded status for 2025 and was overshadowed by races in California and Florida on Saturday. It may have produced another strong winner, however.

Sent off as the 7-5 favorite in the field of seven, Captain Cook broke from the starting gate without urgency under rider Manny Franco and was hung out a little wide heading into the first turn. Navigating his way up the backstretch, the St. Elias Stable-owned runner looked comfortable as he stalked moderate early fractions from third.

Making his move on the far turn from the outside, he quickly collared the leaders but had rallying Surfside Moon to deal with straightening for the stretch run. He responded as soon as that one got to his hip and edged clear down the lane for a decisive 2 1/4-length victory. A strong final furlong in just over 12 seconds completed the Withers in a solid 1:51.83 for the nine furlongs.

A good-looking son of Practical Joke, Captain Cook was bred by Marylou Whitney Stables and sent to young trainer Norm Casse. He had a troubled-trip debut at Churchill Downs in late October and checked in sixth but was beaten by only four lengths in the fast, six-furlong maiden race.

The colt was then offered as part of the dispersal of the estate of John Hendrickson at the Keeneland November horses-of-racing-age sale. Despite the off-the-board finish in his debut, he went for $410,000 to Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable and was sent to trainer Rick Dutrow in New York.

In his second career start, and first for his new connections, the son of the Indian Charlie mare Pow Wow Wow rolled to a 9 1/4-length romp in a seven-furlong maiden race at Aqueduct over a sloppy track.

Wasting no time to get the promising colt a litmus test, Dutrow gave Captain Cook the opportunity for not only his stakes debut in the Withers but also the challenge of 1 1/8 miles early in his career. Both were passed with flying colors.

Part of this emerging story is certainly Dutrow. The son and brother of successful trainers, Dutrow has been a much talked-about figure in American racing for decades.

He found major success not too long after going out on his own in 1995.

A perennial leading trainer in New York at the start of the 21st century, he trained Saint Liam to a Breeders’ Cup Classic victory and horse-of-the-year title in 2005. Soon after his notoriety rose to greater heights by guiding Big Brown to victories in the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Things came crashing down for Dutrow a few years later when he was handed a 10-year ban from racing by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board due to a laundry list of infractions.

In his first year back from the long and controversial suspension, Dutrow welcomed Grade 1 winner White Abarrio to the barn, and the pair found huge success together winning the Whitney (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

White Abarrio since has been moved back to his original barn of Saffie Joseph Jr. and recently added a Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) victory to his growing list of accomplishments. As for 65-year-old Dutrow, he is in search of his next big horse, one who can thrust him once more into the limelight.

Enter Captain Cook. Purchased by one of the top owners in the game and entrusted to Dutrow, the pair are off to a great start together.

Things will only get tougher from here. The $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) in nine weeks at Aqueduct is likely next for the colt who earned 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in Saturday’s win.

While the 2025 edition of the Withers may not represent a field of world beaters, Captain Cook won the race in impressive fashion as he had in his maiden victory. Bigger and better things promise to be in his future. With Rick Dutrow piloting the ship, it should be an interesting voyage.