|
|
Strapping Groom victorious in Tom Fool
Dads Cap's took second by a 1 3/4 over third-place finisher and 2013 Tom Fool runner-up, Saturday's Charm. Jake N Elwood, Non Stop, Candyman E and Sensational Slam completed the order under the wire. "One of these days, we'll get them," said Rudy Rodriguez, trainer of Dads Caps. "We were happy with the way he ran. I was hoping the outside horse would clear us and go to the lead, but then we got to the inside and got pressured. He ran a big race. Strapping Groom is a very nice horse." Strapping Groom covered six furlongs in 1:09 4/5 over the fast inner track. His record now stands at 27-10-6-2 and $916,713 in career earnings. The chestnut horse showed some promise early in his career with a pair of runner-up finishes in the Fred "Cappy" Capossela and Hansel Stakes at age three, then went to the sidelines in September 2010 and did not reappear until the following August, finishing last in an optional claiming event at Saratoga. He dropped into the claiming ranks for his second and final start of 2011, and raced for either a tag or against starter allowance company in four attempts in 2012. Strapping Groom was haltered for a $35,000 tag in his 2013 debut, a May 24 runner-up finish at Belmont, and promptly captured the June 26 Lion Cavern in his first start for new connections. He then finished fifth in the Grade 3 James Marvin on the opening-day at Saratoga and won the Kid Russell in his next start on August 12. Strapping Groom stayed at Saratoga to pull off the upset at 15-1 odds over a sloppy track in the Grade 1 Forego on August 31, for his first graded victory. He would finish third in the Grade 1 Vosburgh the following month at Belmont and was off the board in Grade 3 Bold Ruler in October, but ran second over this track in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight in November. The chestnut closed out his six-year-old campaign with a 6 1/2-length score in the Gravesend Handicap on December 21. "The obvious is the (Grade 1, $500,000) Carter (on April 5)," Jacobson said when asked what might be next for Strapping Groom. "That's on the top of the list. Anything is possible. He'll tell us how he's doing and he'll let us know what he wants to do." Bred in Kentucky by Kinsman Farm, Strapping Groom is out of stakes runner-up Something Silver, a daughter of Silver Deputy. This is the female family of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again and two-year-old champion Macho Uno, both successful sires out of 2000 Broodmare of the Year Primal Force. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
