Starting with the new year, one era of racing in Maryland is coming to an end while another has just begun.
Effective January 1, Dale Capuano will retire after a 41-year career as one of the most successful coaches in Maryland history. He is transferring his 35-horse stables to his grandson, Phillip Capuano, whose father is Gary, the younger brother of Dale Capuano, a respected trainer also based in Maryland.
“I’ve been thinking about it for the past few years. This business, for me, is all I do,” says Capuano. “I’ve reached a point in my life when I want to do something other than wake up at 4 a.m. and work six or seven days a week. It’s time for me to do something else and enjoy myself. myself. “
Live racing is back laurel park December 29 for the last three days of the calendar year-end fall meeting. Capuano had three horses that took part and two more on Friday’s Christmastide Betting Day program, which was rescheduled from Monday because of the weather.
As of December 25, Capuano, 60, is 22nd on the all-time win list among North American coaches with 3,661. His horses have made more than $68 million in wallets. He’s topped the $1 million mark in seasonal earnings 34 times, including each over the past 30 years.
During his distinguished career, Capuano led all Maryland coaches to an annual win eight times (1991, 1997-98, 2001-04) and won a total of 31 championships at the track. big, Laurel and Racecourse Pimlico. His first winner was Who’s the Lucky One at the old Bowie Racecourse on February 21, 1981.
An eight-time classified bet winner, Capuano extended his record as the most successful coach in Maryland Million history to 15 wins at the age of 2. Johnnyz From Albany captured the Arboretum on 22 October.
“I don’t look at it as if I’ve actually done that much,” says Capuano. I’ve never won 1st grade, I’ve never won a classic race. Those things never happened.” “We have some pretty nice horses. Racing has been great for me and I’ve had a good career where I can make a decent living doing it and doing what I really love. Those are all great things.”
Capuano was born into a business family, the son of longtime owner and rancher Phil Capuano. He and his brother grew up on the family farm in the town of Upper Marlboro, Md., Prince George County, and started racing as children.
Dale Capuano’s career has been one of steady success, if unannounced, finishing third in Maryland’s annual wins for 16 consecutive years from 1991-2006. Among his best horses is the 1990 Trenton Handicap (G3) winner Wind splittera horse that finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby (G1) in 1989 and is considered by him to be one of the best horses he has ever trained. Hero Reward was Maryland’s Horse of the Year twice won or placed in 13 stakes, won three graded bets and raced $1.3 million from 2005-2013. Other top runners include class 2 winners bonus stamps and naughty girl and multi-stakes winner Just Call Me Carl and in curls The last person to make money in a lifetime 64 out of 85 starts earning close to $750,000.
In his early years, Capuano had Silano, who won 20 times from 67 games starting from 1986-1992, won 9 bets and finished third in 1990 John B. Campbell Handicap (G3). Goose Bumps was another multi-stakes winner who finished second in the 1988 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Handicap (G3). Subsequent years saw the emergence of horses such as the two-time Maryland Million winner sleeping monster ; unbeaten house of worship , whose promising career was cut short last fall; and current stable stars Johnnyz From Albany, Always in a hurry and scholar Vance all bet winners.
Capuano said: “I grew up around it. Unfortunately (my father) only had a few cheap horses. He never had a chance to get any really good horses but you learn a lot. much from them, that’s for sure.” “We’ve got some really interesting horses.
“Just call me Carl, he’s really a good horse to be around. It was a bit difficult to work with at first but he turned out to be very good. Of course, from the beginning Silano and Goose Bumps were really good for them. Wind Splitter, we announced it and he entered the Kentucky Derby. Of course, Hero Reward, he made a good claim and made over a million dollars. la. We had some good horses. The stamp was appreciated, Moquist in later years. Only a few of them were really good to us.”
Capuano credits his owners, many of whom have maintained throughout his career, as the foundation of his success.
“What really keeps me going is that I’ve had great clients throughout my career,” says Capuano. “It makes life so much easier.” “People like Lou Ulman, we’ve been together for over 30 years. Steve Newby, Neil Glasser. Unfortunately, some of them have passed away because they were with me in the beginning–Harvey Linden was really helped me early in my career.
“I could name a lot of people. Now we have Mopo Racing with Maury Povich, great, great people to work with. Super C Racing. I don’t want to dismiss anyone,” he said. to add. “My job is so much easier when you have great people to work with.”
Third in Laurel’s fall meeting standings with 19 wins from 90 starts, Capuano is seventh in Maryland’s annual standings with 51 wins in 2022 and 63rd to 343rd for a total. income from purse more than 2.5 million dollars. He is delighted for his grandson to continue the family tradition.
“He’s been with me in the barn every day since Delaware closed, and he’s worked for me before so he knows my routine and he knows the horses,” Capuano said. “He always takes care of Gary’s horses in Delaware every year. When we moved to Delaware, he always took care of everything there for us. We used to keep a few horses with him there every day. season for him to know my master and he knows the horses I think he’ll be right in on January 1st. Like I told my staff, it’ll just be another person behind the desk. Phil is a great kid. He’s a hard worker, honest and he’s ‘I’ll do fine. I have no doubt about that.”
For Dale Capuano, at least the original retirement plans were simple plans.
“Just need a little break, because I haven’t had a vacation in about five years. Maybe I’ll do some traveling around different places and start living a little,” he said. . “Let’s go back to the gym and get back in shape, and train yourself a little.”
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
