OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cairo Caper has run well sprinting and has handled softer turf. Both factors could be in play Sunday when Cairo Caper runs in a seemingly wide-open renewal of the $150,000 Carle Place Stakes at Aqueduct.
The Carle Place, restricted to 3-year-olds, is scheduled to be run at six furlongs over Aqueduct’s outer turf course. A potential nor’easter is forecast for Sunday, the timing of which will likely determine whether the race stays on the turf, is transferred to the dirt, or is even run at all.
As a 2-year-old, Cairo Caper was based at Woodbine with trainer Nathan Squires. He won two of five starts, both wins coming in turf sprints, including a victory in the Soaring Free Stakes run over good ground.
Transferred by owner William Thompson to Phil Schoenthal in Maryland, Cairo Caper has gone winless in four starts this year. However, all four races were at a mile or farther and his second-place finish in the Grade 3 Penn Mile did come over yielding ground.
Since then, Cairo Caper finished last in the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial and sixth of eight in the Saranac at Saratoga.
:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports
“It was always the thinking that maybe he could get a mile on his best day and he ran well in the Penn Mile but he had a lot of things going for him that day, be it a short field and softer ground, which I think he likes,” Schoenthal said.
”Obviously, at Colonial and Saratoga, he either met some better foes or couldn’t quite handle the trip,” Schoenthal added. “We’re trying to alleviate those two things.”
Schoenthal said that if the Carle Place is transferred to dirt, Cairo Caper would likely still run because “the owner has asked me a few times about trying the dirt,” Schoenthal said.
Out On Bail, trained by Mike Maker, finished a head behind Cairo Caper when third in the Penn Mile. He returned to sprinting in the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs, where he finished seventh, beaten 4 1/4 lengths.
Out On Bail, a New York-bred son of Tiz the Law, won the Skidmore over good turf at Saratoga and finished second in his lone try over a muddy track, which occurred at Aqueduct.
Spiced Up, in two starts sprinting on turf in New York for Bill Mott, won a maiden race at Aqueduct and the Grade 3 Mahony at Saratoga. He comes off a last-place finish in the Franklin-Simpson and must deal with post 10 on Sunday.
Fire Pit, shipping in from Parx for Guadalupe Preciado, has won on turf, but he might be a stronger candidate should the race be moved to dirt. He finished second to stakes winner Retribution in the mud in a stakes at Parx and was a respectable third in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob last out. Preciado said Fire Pit missed a little time before the Gallant Bob due to a shoeing issue.
“I think he could run good on grass too,” Preciado said. “The horse is coming around, he’s improved every time he runs.”
No Evidence, third to Spiced Up in the Mahony, along with Forged Steel, Bucaro, and Cyclonite appear in with a chance as well, should the race remain on the turf.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.