$1.5M Buy First Captain a Commanding Dwyer Presence

Two sharp triumphs in as many starts have given Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds faith that First Captain  can rise to the occasion July 5 in the 104th running of the $250,000 Dwyer Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park.

First Captain, a 3-year-old chestnut by Curlin  , arrives at his first graded stakes engagement off a first-level victory at the Dwyer distance over a sloppy and sealed track at Belmont Park on May 29. First Captain established command in upper stretch before being overtaken by Hometown  to his outside but then rallied to win by a length. 

First Captain fights back with @jose93_ortiz at Belmont, now 2-fo-2 for @Claudemcgaughey, @bflay @SienaFarmKY, @woodfordracing. pic.twitter.com/EDQWkp5NPK

— West Point Tbred (@westpointtbred) May 29, 2021

On debut, First Captain won by three-quarters of a length over Mahaamel  and eventual winner Repo Rocks  going seven furlongs over Big Sandy on April 24. 

He benefits from catching a field in the Dwyer relatively short on stakes accomplishments. Gershwin  is the only graded stakes winner in the lineup. His graded win came in the off-the-turf Penn Mile Stakes (G3).

Bred by Bobby Flay, who owns the colt in partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, and Woodford Racing, First Captain was a $1.5 million purchase from the Stone Farm consignment at The Saratoga Sale at Fasig-Tipton in 2019. He is out of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare America , making him a direct descendant of influential broodmare Best in Show . 

First Captain is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who boasts Dwyer victories with Seeking the Gold (1988), Coronado's Quest (1998), and Code of Honor  (2019). The latter two used the Dwyer as a springboard to Travers Stakes (G1) prominence. 

"We know that there are moving parts in every division," Finley said. "You have horses that come back from the Triple Crown in races like the Haskell (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2). We'd like to think that he would be able to throw his hat in the ring. The beautiful part of our industry is that it doesn't matter what we think or what we say, what matters is what the horse does on the track. Opinions don't matter, it's all about getting to the wire first."

First Captain will be piloted by jockey Jose Ortiz from post 2. 

Gershwin, cross-entered in the Kent Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park July 3 by trainer Mike Stidham, scratched out of that race when it remained on the grass. He is a half brother to grade 1 winner Mystic Guide . 

Having a consistent 5-2-1-2 record, Gershwin captured both of his trips to the winner's circle in off-the-turf events. He broke his maiden at second asking over a muddy and sealed main track Feb. 6 at Fair Grounds Race Course. 

A Juddmonte homebred by Twirling Candy  , the Brad Cox-trained Snow House  defeated winners last out over a one-turn mile  May 29 at Churchill Downs after breaking his maiden in wire-to-wire fashion going a two-turn mile at Keeneland. 

The remaining two entries are Ridin With Biden  and Civil War . Ridin With Biden is also entered in the July 4 Manila Stakes on turf at Belmont, where he is a 15-1 longshot on the morning line.

Entries: Dwyer S. (G3)

Belmont Park, Monday, July 05, 2021, Race 8

• Grade III
• 1m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo
• 4:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Gershwin (KY)	Luis Saez	124	Michael Stidham	5/2
2	2First Captain (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	1/2
3	3Civil War (KY)	Benjamin Hernandez	118	Thomas Albertrani	30/1
4	4Ridin With Biden (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Robert E. Reid, Jr.	10/1
5	5Snow House (KY)	Joel Rosario	118	Brad H. Cox	4/1