Ancient Title BC

Captain Squire sailed to victory in the Ancient Title (Benoit Photo)

Robert Bone and Jeffrey Diener’s CAPTAIN SQUIRE (Flying Chevron) took the
early lead in Saturday’s $236,000
Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup S. (G1) at Santa
Anita, an advantage the six-year-old gelding would not relinquish. Sent to
the front by jockey Alex Solis, the 2-1 favorite clocked quick fractions of :21,
:43 1/5 and :55 4/5 with McCann’s Mojave (Memo [Chi]) close in tow. Zanzibar (Arg)
(Luhuk) came four wide into the stretch and rallied gamely, but was not able to
catch the leader, as Captain Squire finished the six-furlong fast-track event in
1:08 4/5.

“I knew we were going fast, I wasn’t sure how fast,” Solis said. “I finally got a chance to
give him a breather around the half-mile pole to the five-sixteenth (pole), and then he
came on again in the stretch. I’m sure he was tired, but he has such a big heart
that as soon as the other horse got next to him, he fought him off and fought
him to the ending.”

The Jeff Mullins-trained winner returned $6.20, $4 and $3.40 while Zanzibar,
a half-length back, gave $11.20 and $7 at 19-1. Indian Country (Indian Charlie)
was a nose back in third to pay $5.60 at 15-1. The $1 exotics totaled $50.20
(exacta) and $320.70 (1-6-4 trifecta). Gotaghostofachance (Silver Ghost),
McCann’s Mojave, Bilo (Bertrando) and Bear in the Woods (Formal Gold) rounded
out the order of finish.

Bred in Florida by J D Farms, Captain Squire is out of the winning mare
Dolly’s Back (At the Threshold) and counts multiple stakes winners Dakota Light
(Colony Light) and Dansetta Light
(Colony Light) as half-sisters. Dolly’s Back has also produced an unraced
two-year-old colt named Plate Licker (Colony Light) and an unnamed
yearling colt by Cherokee Run. Purchased for $14,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale
August Yearling Sale, Captain Squire has also won the 2002 Lazaro Barrera
Memorial S. (G2) and improved his record to 25-8-6-4. He became Thoroughbred
racing’s newest millionaire with the win, boosting his earning to $1,031,765.