Ancient Rome to get back to winning ways in the Fred Capossela
Impressive in his juvenile season, Ancient Rome started off his sophomore season in disappointing manner, when he finished an unplaced 10th in his seasonal debut, the Gulfstream Park Derby at about 1 1/16 miles on 1 January, 2012, to winner Reveron.
The reason for his dismal performance at Gulfstream Park could’ve been the distance, because in his three previous races he dwelled in sprint races, and with a sudden stretch out, the colt couldn’t deal with it and wilted to finish tenth under Joseph Rocco.
Trained by Anthony Dutrow for owner Michael Dubb, Ancient Rome will try to get back in winning form in the 111th running of the $100,000 Fred “Cappy” Capossela Stakes, where the son of Roman Ruler will be cutting back to six furlongs on 10 March,
2012, at Aqueduct against 6 other 3-year-old colts and geldings.
“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.”
After the Kentucky bred’s unimpressive run in the Gulfstream Park Derby, he was stabled at Aqueduct in February, and since then Ancient Rome has three workouts over the venue’s inner track, and his most recent work was of half mile which he covered in 47.97
seconds on 4 March, 2012.
“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.”
Out of mare Wish it Were by Is It True, Ancient Rome will be without his usual jockey in the Fred Capossela Stakes, as C. C. Lopez will take the mount, while Ancient Rome has drawn post number 7 on the outside for his upcoming race.
Ancient Rome will face Beggarthyneighbor, and the Chad Brown trainee is coming off a fantastic win in the Dancing Count Stakes, but Ancient Rome will be not alone, as his stable mate Christopher’s Joy will run in the Fred Caposella.
Undefeated in two starts at Parx Racing, Christopher’s Joy will make the race all the more exciting, but in his last two starts he hasn’t been tested, it will certainly be a step up for him.
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