Velazquez to Ride Capo Bastone in G1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity
Recent Hall of Fame inductee, John Velazquez, has committed to ride Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ sparkling debut winner, Capo Bastone, in the September 5th renewal of the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity.
Conditioned by John Sadler, Capo Bastone, a son of the first crop sire, Street Boss, was sensational when capturing a Maiden Special Weight race at Del Mar on August 4th. The $175,000 OBS March 2 year-old-in-training acquisition dropped jaws by coming from well off the pace to win in hand at the abbreviated distance of 5 ½-furlongs.
Eclipse President, Aron Wellman, said, “We are thrilled to have secured the services of John (Velazquez) to ride Capo Bastone in the Futurity. John is Eclipse’s go-to rider and he’s a true Hall of Famer both on and off the racetrack.
“After huddling up with John Sadler, we both agreed that if we could get John (Velazquez) out here for such an important race like the Futurity, that it would be a no-brainer,” Wellman explained. “With the Saratoga meeting closing a few days prior to the Futurity and Belmont not opening until after the Futurity, the timing worked out ideal for John to be able to make the trip out west. We are appreciative of John and his agent, Angel Cordero Jr.’s efforts to make this happen.”
Capo Bastone has had two publicly recorded workouts at Del Mar since his maiden score, including a 1:00 2/5 drill over the Poly this morning Where The Turf Meets The Surf.
Wellman further indicated that in addition to piloting Capo Bastone, Velazquez would ride two other Stakes races for Eclipse at Del Mar on September 5th, including the European import, Parisian Prince, in the $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf as well as the Stakes-winning and multiple Graded-placed filly, Byrama, in the $85,000 C.E.R.F Stakes.