Superhero! Captain America and Glen Hatt burst clear to beat Red Ray in a thriller.(Hamish Niven Photography)
Trainer Brett Crawford and jockey Glen Hatt sealed a feature race double when the fiery hot pair won the inaugural running of the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes run over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday. In a sensational climax to months of anticipation, Captain America swooped late to beat the odds on favourite Red Ray going away.
The boom colt Red Ray is a terrific racehorse and after his effortless victory in the Elusive Fort Cape Classic at the end of October over Saturday’s course and distance, punters fearlessly painted him into the red as Captain America also had his supporters, to jump at 9 to 2.
The irony of the win by Captain America to beat the Jooste powerhouse, would not have been lost on many racing folk, who understand the dynamics of what was seen as a brave career move by Hatt at the beginning of this season. That punch of the air as Captain America sailed past the lollipop was just not Glen Hatt, somehow.
But who can blame him?
Hatt had parted ways with the dominant Joey Ramsden yard to take his chances with Brett Crawford at the start of this season. It is a well known reality that the seasoned jockey had often been left kicking his heels while watching retained Jooste jockey Anton Marcus fly in for the big rides.
Frustration and a yearning to ride more winners have turned the switch into a real life fairytale, and his sporting former boss would probably have been the first to congratulate Hatt.
The race worked out perfectly. Captain’s Reserve jumped smartly as Anton Marcus brought Red Ray across from his 11 draw to track Mike Azzie’s goodlooking filly, Belle Coco.
Captain America was cruising against the steel in fifth place and four lengths off the leader
Happy Connections! The history making owners lead in the promising Captain America (Hamish Niven Photography)
Marcus confidently sent Red Ray into no man’s land at the 300m, but the confident Hatt was wide awake to the tactic and sent Captain America straight after him, without hesitation.
Drawing alongside at the 200m marker, Captain America stretched his legs and drew clear of his arch rival, to win going away by 1,25 lengths in a time of 87,20 secs.
Red Ray was comprehensively beaten but the two were lengths clear of Glen Kotzen’s filly Davyana, who ran a meritorious race in third.
Captain America had been a R400k National Sale purchase, re-sold for R500k at the Ready to Run sale 8 months later.
A winner of 4 races with 1 place from 5 starts, he took his stake earnings to R1 117 675.
Bred by Varsfontein Stud, he is a son of Captain Al, and out of the five time winning Fort Wood mare.
Captain America made his debut 4 months after Red Ray had already won three races, and has come into the classic picture relatively late .
While a probable Derby horse, Captain America looks set to take on the best in the Cape Guineas and stake a serious claim of emulating Capetown Noir, who clinched the rare classic double in 2012.
Stakes were paid all the way down to tenth place in this race and breeder Peter De Beyer would have been particularly pleased that Knysna Lagoon squeaked into the back of the queue to bank the R30 000 cheque. With a partnership of five owners and a R20 000 price tag, she owes them nothing.
The Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes top ten payroll and earnings to date:
CAPTAIN AMERICA cost R500 000 and has earned R R1 117 675 to date
RED RAY cost R800 000 and has earned R878 750 to date
DAVYANA cost R60 000 and has earned R260 900 to date
ARION cost R200 000 and has earned R201 075 to date
ANTONIUS DU BOIS cost R200 000 and has earned R352 400 to date
EXELERO cost R1 million and has earned R147 750 to date
ALL ABOUT THE DASH cost R140 000 and has earned R116 800 to date
SIX OF THE BEST cost R700 000 and has earned R111 250 to date
CAPTAIN’S RESERVE cost R600 000 and has earned R191 125 to date
KNYSNA LAGOON cost R20 000 and has earned R92 100 to date
