BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Gary Barber’s Capture the Lion, a fourth-place finisher last out in the Grade 2 bet365 Connaught Cup on turf at Woodbine in July, returns to the synthetic course at Gulfstream Park Saturday for the $75,000 Extravagant Kid overnight handicap. A winner of two of four starts on the Gulfstream all-weather course last year, the Florida-bred gelding has been assigned the co-high weight of 122 pounds among the eight 3-year-olds and older who will go five-and-a-half furlongs.
The 4-year-old Capture the Lion has progressed to race against much tougher company since last year at Gulfstream when he won in his second career start against $50,000 maiden claimers on the main track in January. Away from the track for six months, he returned to Gulfstream in July to win a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming before scoring in a first condition, $25,000 optional claiming two races later in September, both on synthetic.
Among his five starts this year is a victory in a second condition, $50,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs on the Woodbine turf in June.
Capture the Lion has a career record of four wins, a second and two thirds in 12 starts with earnings of $153,585. By Uncaptured out of Keyvacious, by Teuflesberg, Caputure the Lion was bred in Florida by the late Sherry R. Mansfield and Kenneth H. Davis and is a graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales. He sold for $55,000 to JEC at the 2022 March Sale where he was consigned by Hawk’s Rest LLC.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Capture the Lion from post six and they are favored at 5-2 on the morning line.
Also assigned the top weight of 122 pounds is Smithwick’s Spice for trainer Douglas Nunn and owner New Spice Stable.
The 8-year-old gelding has won four of 12 races this year including a $84,000 overnight handicap going five furlongs on the Monmouth Park turf on Sept. 15. In one start since, Smithwick’s Spice was fourth behind winner Boat’s a Rockin in a $16,000 starter allowance going five furlongs on the turf at Meadowlands on Oct. 5.
Smithwick’s Spice is by far the richest among the Extravagant Kid entrants with $693,592 in career earnings from 13 wins, 10 seconds and six thirds from 49 starts.
He is 8-1 on the morning line and will break from the outside post eight with Jorge Gonzalez in the saddle.
Rounding out the field are Abrir Cominos (Chi) with Edgard Zayas named to ride, Edwin Gonzalez takes the call on Doctor Jeff, Whenigettoheaven and jockey Miguel Vasquez, X Y Point with Ivan Pimentel Jr. aboard and Okiro will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke.
