Captain Cook looked the part of a Triple Crown contender as he posted a 2 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Withers Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds Feb. 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack. He overcame a wide trip and repelled a stretch bid from 33-1 longshot Surfside Moon to capture the Withers in his stakes debut.

If you’re just getting into horse racing, one of the most fun things to do is build your own all-star roster of horses to follow through the season. You can bet on them, of course, if the price is right, but Thoroughbreds are also exciting “free agent” athletes to keep tabs on as they take on new challenges, just as you would your favorite tennis player, swimmer, boxer, or gymnast.