Capture the Flag Chasing Second Stakes Win in Pan American (G3)

Three-Time G1 Winner Far Bridge Slated to Return in Turf Marathon

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Despite the presence of three-time Grade 1 winner Far Bridge, entered to make his seasonal debut, recency figures to be on the side of fellow 5-year-old Capture the Flag for Saturday’s $215,000 Pan American (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 64th running of the Pan American for older horses scheduled for 1 ½ miles on the turf is the third of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.62 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), one of the country’s premiere Triple Crown preps.

First race post time is 11:30 a.m. (ET). Post time for the Pan American, Race 6, is 1:56 p.m. (ET).

Bred and co-owned by Joseph Allen, Capture the Flag will be making his fourth start of the 2024-2025 Championship Meet in the Pan American, coming on the heels of a front-running head victory in the 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida (G3) over the Gulfstream turf March 1.

The Mac Diarmida marked the stakes debut for Capture the Flag, who made his first four starts for trainer Shug McGaughey before joining fellow Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher last year. It was also a change in tactics for the son of Quality Road, who was able to set reasonable fractions under jockey John Velazquez and dig in to hold off stablemate Grand Sonata.

“He’s always been a big, galloping horse and we felt like he had enough natural speed where Johnny and I kind of looked at the race and felt like it might shape up that way,” Pletcher said. “If we could make the lead the right way then we’ll try and do that, and fortunately it worked out.”

With Velazquez riding in Arkansas on Saturday, meet-leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the call on Capture the Flag from Post 7 in a field of nine at co-topweight of 124 pounds with Far Bridge. Capture the Flag is second choice on the morning line at 3-1.

“We were hoping for an effort like that last time and felt like we could put his natural speed to use. He got into a good, strong gallop and was able to keep carrying it on,” Pletcher said. We’ve been very pleased with him, and he’s trained well since then, so we’re hoping for another good effort.”

LSU Stables’ Far Bridge (7-5, Post 4) also launched his season last March, winning a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance to make him a perfect 3-0 on the Gulfstream turf. Winner of the 2023 Belmont Derby (G1), he went on to take the Sword Dancer (G1) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) in New York before finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) Nov. 2, his most recent start.

Christophe Clement-trained stablemate and fellow millionaire, Peachtree Stables’ Tawny Port (6-1, Post 5), will break alongside Far Bridge, also set for his seasonal bow after having gone unraced since running sixth in the 1 ½-mile Sycamore (G3) last October. The 6-year-old was winless in seven 2024 starts, all in graded-stakes, but placed five times including neck losses when second in the Mac Diarmida and third in the Pan American.

Ken Ramsey’s 7-year-old gelding Cash Equity (7-2, Post 3) has been a similar hard-luck horse, failing to win a race in 12 tries since being claimed for $80,000 at the end of 2023. Over that time he has five seconds and three thirds, beaten a length or less in three graded-stakes as well as the 2024 Barbados Gold Cup.

“He’s run very well. He’s a horse that’s never won for us since they claimed him and transferred him to me. He’s run well and he’s earned a lot of money, but he’s never won,” Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He’s had a lot of trips where he almost causes his own trouble. The last time he got beat close, and the time before it was even closer. He’s knocking on the door and eventually he’s going to have his day where he wins one of these races.”

Cash Equity will also be making his fourth start of the winter stand, after finishing sixth by 2 ¾ lengths in the Fort Lauderdale (G2), second by a nose in the 1 ½-mile William L. McKnight (G3) and third in the Mac Diarmida, beaten three-quarters of a length by Capture the Flag. Tyler Gaffalione is named to ride from Post 3.

“We weren’t sure how he’d do when we stretched him out and he’s handled it well, so it opens up new options,” Joseph said. “It’s allowed him to sit more handy and he doesn’t get into as much trouble.”

Joseph also entered Daniel Alonso’s Lorenz (15-1, Post 9), a Group 3 winner in his native Brazil that ran third or better in seven of eight starts last year, two of them wins, including a 1 1/8-mile turf stakes at Remington Park. Eighth in the Fort Lauderdale, he was most recently fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay (G3) Feb. 1.

Corruption (20-1, Post 1), a winner of three straight on the Gulfstream turf including a 1 ½-mile optional claimer March 2; Padiddle (30-1, Post 6), who graduated by 2 ¾ lengths in a 1 3/8-mile maiden special weight March 9 at Gulfstream, just his second turf start; Il Siciliano (20-1, Post 8), beaten a neck by Corrpution last out; and Better Bet (20-1, Post 2) complete the field.