LRL: Capuano trio aimed at Spectacular Bid
The Biz
January 29, 2026
Trainer Gary Capuano’s two-year-olds enjoyed a stellar 2025. Three of them, now newly minted three-year-olds, will get their first big tests of 2026 in Saturday’s $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Laurel Park.
Capuano’s juveniles won 24 of 62 starts last year (39%), earning $1.1 million and propelling the veteran horseman to the highest seasonal earnings of his career.
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The Capuano trio is led by Heft Stakes winner Hollywood Import, who impressed with a front-running score under Mychel Sanchez despite having shown little early speed in his prior starts. The Honor A. P. colt broke sharply, controlled the pace, and never looked back.
“He’s been training well,” Capuano said, adding, “He fits with the program here.”
Hollywood Import’s preparation has been unconventional, highlighted by a mile breeze followed two days later by a half-mile work, both in company with stablemate Wild Warrior. Capuano cited winter weather concerns and a desire to keep both colts sharp.
Hollywood Import is 9-2 on the morning line and will have Mychel Sanchez in the irons for the second straight outing.
Wild Warrior (8-1), an Improbable colt, makes his first start sprinting after beginning his career routing. He showed tactical speed when winning a first-level allowance at Laurel in December, and Capuano believes the seven furlongs could be a useful test.
“I’m not sure it’s his ideal distance,” Capuano said of the seven furlongs. “He’s a good-feeling horse. He deserves a shot at it.”
Completing the trio is Awesome Andy, who earned the field’s top Beyer Speed Figure with a gutsy allowance win on January 9 and has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite. The Spun to Run colt, who took four tries to break his maiden, has never missed the board in five starts and has won his last two, including a maiden score at seven furlongs in December.
“He’s picked up a check every time,” Capuano said. “He’s run with some decent horses. He’s just improved.”
Saturday’s Spectacular Bid, run at seven furlongs, serves as the first local stakes test for Maryland’s sophomore crop — and a proving ground for a Capuano barn coming off one of its most productive seasons.
The Spectacular Bid is the ninth race on a 10-race program.
One race prior, sophomore fillies square off in the six-furlong, $100,000 Xtra Heat. The Ethan West-trained Unfaithful Rose, a winner once in four starts, is the 3-1 morning line choice.
Entries for both races are below.
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XTRA HEAT STAKES ENTRIES
| Post | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | For the Ladies | 5-1 | Boyce F | Morley Thomas | StarLadies Racing & Adelphi Racing Club |
| 2 | Won Ton | 5-1 | Toledo J | Runco Jeff C | Huntertown Farm LLC |
| 3 | Unfaithful Rose | 3-1 | Sanchez M J | West Ethan W | Thorough Crowd & Mr. CPA Racing |
| 4 | Sweet Shenanigans | 4-1 | Hazlewood Y | Capuano Gary | John Hazard |
| 5 | Bresha | 6-1 | Saez G | Catalano Wayne M | Lance Rutledge |
| 6 | Tap Into Grace | 5-1 | Russell S | Russell Brittany T | Haymarket Farm LLC |
| 7 | Victory Music | 9-2 | Cruz A | Maker Michael J | Three Diamonds Farm |
SPECTACULAR BID STAKES ENTRIES
| Post | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | Code of Silence | 6-1 | Cruz A | Keefe Timothy L | Mount Peru Farm |
| 2 | Wild Warrior | 8-1 | NO RIDER | Capuano Gary | Rose Petal Stable LLC |
| 3 | Awesome Andy | 3-1 | NO RIDER | Capuano Gary | Rose Petal Stable LLC |
| 4 | Hollywood Import | 9-2 | Sanchez M J | Capuano Gary | Pocket 3’s Racing LLC |
| 5 | Hardtoblame | 10-1 | Russell S | O’Dwyer Jeremiah | Jeremiah O’Dwyer |
| 6 | Star Sweeper | 6-1 | Rodriguez A R | Linder Louis Jr | Bran Jam Stable & David W. Clark |
| 7 | Trendsetter | 5-1 | Machado L | Colebrook Ben | Midway Racing LLC |
| 8 | Close the Gate | 9-2 | Villalobos I | Salzman John E Jr | Bird and Grady, LLC |
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