Trainer David Walters has won nearly 1,600 races in his career and saddled three winners of the Cavada Breeders Classic. But he may have experienced his most emotional victory on the Saturday, December 14 closing night card at Charles Town when All Caps prevailed as the odds-on choice in a $5,000 claiming event for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares.

The win was her first following a layoff of nearly two years.

“Comeback story of the year!” Walters posted on the social media site X, formerly Twitter.

“She’s a miracle,” added his wife Ellen Walters.

During the early stages of her career, All Caps had given Walters the impression that she might be capable of joining his previous Cavada heroines Carnival Chrome, Cuppa Mocha Mojo and Longfield Star.

Owned and bred by Ellen Walters’ Fairview Farm, All Caps graduated in style in her third career outing and then came right back to capture an allowance event six weeks later.

But her budding career came to an abrupt halt in her next outing against allowance foes on Dec. 14, 2022 when she finished a nondescript fifth as the 4-5 favorite. Walters admitted then he was puzzled by the poor performance. In the subsequent days, the explanation that arose nearly ended her career and had the potential of claiming her life.

“She won pretty easily in her third start and she came right back to win her next start,” Walters recalled. “So, I was really surprised when she just didn’t run a step in her next start. She didn’t have a great trip, but really I couldn’t find an excuse for her. The next day she was okay, but then two days later she had swelling and an infection in her left hind leg, and it just kept getting worse. It was the worst case of cellulitis that I had ever seen, and I thought we might lose her.”

Cellulitis, a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and pain, can spread quickly, leading to lameness and even to the onset of sepsis.

All Caps, a homebred daughter of Golden Lad who went unraced at age two, graduated in her third career outing on Aug. 11, 2022 by six lengths in 51.50 and then came right back to win an allowance race as the odds-on choice on Sep. 29 by over five lengths in 52.60.

But her December 14 outing looked likely to be her last one as Walters waited to see if the treatments on her leg would fend off the infection. Once she had cleared the worst of it, the longtime local conditioner had plans for her to begin a second career as a broodmare.

“We were just worried that she might not survive the infection,” Walters said. “I mean, it was so bad that the vets who treated her thought she might not make it. My main concern was just getting her healthy and then bringing her home to be a broodmare. But after her leg healed and she started to get more playful in the field, my wife suggested maybe we try putting her back in training. She was one of those horses that just always seemed happier being at the track.”

Well over a year after what appeared to be the fifth and possibly final start of her career, All Caps went back to the track and resumed training. Walters brought her along cautiously, but the Golden Lad homebred continually gave him and Ellen every indication that she wanted to resume her racing career.

On June 7, All Caps returned to the work tab for the first time, following that up with a steady string of works culminating in a three-furlong ‘bullet’ of 34.80 September 12.

In her first start back off the extended layoff, All Caps finished a nondescript seventh against allowance company on Sep. 28, but Walters dropped her into claiming events on Oct. 18 and Nov. 8 where she finished third and second, respectively.

Last Saturday on the closing night card of 2024 and exactly two years after what once looked to be her final race, All Caps led throughout to defeat state-bred $5,000 claimers by nearly two lengths in 53.52 with Fredy Peltroche aboard.

“When I brought her back, she was in a little tough,” Walters said. “So, I wanted to give her a little easier spot for her last start. She broke good and she dug in and held on. It was a very emotional win for me and for Ellen, knowing what this filly has been through. I’m not sure when she’ll run back or how many more times we’ll run her, but she’s always been happier at the track and training with other horses. She loves to run, so as long as she’s sound and happy, then we’ll keep running her.”

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