Undoubtedly a colt of high quality, Capot could never quite master his late-running contemporary Ponder, finishing behind the Calumet colt in four of their six encounters in 1949. Nonetheless, victories in two of the three Triple Crown races plus two scintillating victories against the season's champion older male, Coaltown, lifted him to the 3-year-title as well as shared honors for Horse of the Year. Unfortunately, Capot proved severely subfertile as a stallion. His condition was often attributed to his broodmare sire, St. Germans, who was himself not a very fertile stallion and had a number of high-profile male-line descendants who were sterile or subfertile.
Race record
28 starts, 12 wins, 4 seconds, 7 thirds, US$345,260
1948:
1949:
1950:
Honors
As an individual
A brown, Capot stood 15.3 hands. He was a smoothly made, close-coupled colt with the build of a medium distance runner, powered by strong stifles and wide hips. He had an enlarged knee caused by a kick suffered as a yearling. He was thoroughly game when called on and had an excellent constitution. He required a good deal of work to maintain top form.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Capot sired only 13 foals, of which five were winners.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Capot was bred by Greentree Stud, Inc., and was owned by Greentree Stable. He was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr., until his retirement to stud at Greentree. After proving too subfertile to be a viable stallion, he was gelded in 1958 and lived out the remainder of his life as a pensioner at Greentree.
Pedigree notes
Capot is inbred 5x4 to dual English Classic-placed John o' Gaunt, to 1893 English champion 3-year-old filly Canterbury Pilgrim and to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando; he is also inbred 5x5 to 1898 English champion 3-year-old male Cyllene, a champion sire in both England and Argentina. He is a full brother to Old Game, dam of English stakes winner Polo II (by Ambiorix).
Piquet, the dam of Capot, was a good stakes filly who won the 1940 Test Stakes, Diana Handicap and Delaware Oaks. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning steeplechaser Rapier (by Blenheim II) and is out of the juvenile stakes winner Parry (by Peter Pan), a full sister to the stakes-winning steeplechaser Spar. The next dam in Capot's tail-female line, Fair Feint (by Fair Play), is a full sister to 1921 Travers Stakes winner Sporting Blood, 1924 Flash Stakes winner Felix the minor stakes winner Festival, and stakes-placed Finery, dam of multiple stakes winner Adamas (by Wigstone). She is also a half sister to the high-class steeplechaser Arc Light (by Archaic).
Books and media
Capot is profiled in Chapter 7 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Race record
28 starts, 12 wins, 4 seconds, 7 thirds, US$345,260
1948:
- Won Champagne Stakes (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Wakefield Stakes (USA, 6FD, Empire City)
- Won Pimlico Futurity (USA, 8.5FD, Pimlico
1949:
- Won Chesapeake Stakes (USA, 8.5FD, Havre de Grace)
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico; new track record 1:56)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA, 12FT, Belmont)
- Won Jerome Handicap (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Sysonby Mile (USA, 8FD, Belmont)
- Won Pimlico Special (USA, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Apache Handicap (USA, 6FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Wood Memorial (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
- 3rd Derby Trial (USA, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Leonard Richards Stakes (USA, 9FD, Delaware; disqualified from first)
- 3rd Empire City Handicap (USA, 9.5FD, Empire City)
- 3rd Amsterdam Handicap (USA, 7FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Grey Lag Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Jamaica)
1950:
- Won Wilson Stakes (USA, 8FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Fleetwing Handicap (USA, 6FD, Empire City)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1977)
- American co-Horse of the Year (1949)
- American champion 3-year-old male (1949)
As an individual
A brown, Capot stood 15.3 hands. He was a smoothly made, close-coupled colt with the build of a medium distance runner, powered by strong stifles and wide hips. He had an enlarged knee caused by a kick suffered as a yearling. He was thoroughly game when called on and had an excellent constitution. He required a good deal of work to maintain top form.
As a stallion
According to records kept by The Jockey Club, Capot sired only 13 foals, of which five were winners.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Capot was bred by Greentree Stud, Inc., and was owned by Greentree Stable. He was trained by John M. Gaver, Sr., until his retirement to stud at Greentree. After proving too subfertile to be a viable stallion, he was gelded in 1958 and lived out the remainder of his life as a pensioner at Greentree.
Pedigree notes
Capot is inbred 5x4 to dual English Classic-placed John o' Gaunt, to 1893 English champion 3-year-old filly Canterbury Pilgrim and to two-time American Horse of the Year Commando; he is also inbred 5x5 to 1898 English champion 3-year-old male Cyllene, a champion sire in both England and Argentina. He is a full brother to Old Game, dam of English stakes winner Polo II (by Ambiorix).
Piquet, the dam of Capot, was a good stakes filly who won the 1940 Test Stakes, Diana Handicap and Delaware Oaks. She is a half sister to the stakes-winning steeplechaser Rapier (by Blenheim II) and is out of the juvenile stakes winner Parry (by Peter Pan), a full sister to the stakes-winning steeplechaser Spar. The next dam in Capot's tail-female line, Fair Feint (by Fair Play), is a full sister to 1921 Travers Stakes winner Sporting Blood, 1924 Flash Stakes winner Felix the minor stakes winner Festival, and stakes-placed Finery, dam of multiple stakes winner Adamas (by Wigstone). She is also a half sister to the high-class steeplechaser Arc Light (by Archaic).
Books and media
Capot is profiled in Chapter 7 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Capot's name was derived from that of his dam, as a "capot" is a grand slam in the card game of piquet.