TAPIT’s Tapit Trice made it clear he’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the Kentucky Derby (G1) next month after a determined win in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
Coming into the race on a three-race winning streak that had culminated last out in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Tapit Trice was hustled out of the gate in the 1 1/8 mile dirt race to sit in midpack as jockey Luis Saez piloted him from his rail post to the outside of the field.
That proved to be the best place for Tapit Trice, who galloped comfortably down the backstretch to find himself behind just the leaders in the stretch. By the time the field entered the final furlong, Tapit Trice had just one horse sticking with him and the race was on.
It took Tapit Trice nearly the whole stretch but as they entered the final strides before the wire, he stuck his nose in front and started slowly pulling away to win by a neck with the third placed runner 5 ¾ lengths behind the top two.
{It got a little hairy going into the first turn, but when he was able to secure that spot (jockey) Luis (Saez) was able to take him out in the clear down the backside,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “That was the position we hoped to get into, and once he got into that stride I thought we were in good shape. Yeah (slow out of the gate), that’s him. We’re not going to make him into a quick horse. The distances, as they stretch out, we always felt like would make him better. I think (the 1¼ miles of the Kentucky Derby) is right in his wheelhouse.”
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Tapit Trice was a $1.3 million Keeneland September yearling purchase by racing co-owner Whisper Hill Farm, who now co-owns him with breeder Gainesway Stable.
“He’s absolutely outstanding,” Gainesway’s Antony Beck said. “It’s wonderful to be partners with Mandy (Pope). It’s a great friendship. We both love, love horses; we both love the sport. has been an incredible stallion and this is another one of his incredible horses.”
The colt is out of the multiple stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Dunkirk mare Danzatrice. That mare is a three-quarter sister to 2018 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Jaywalk and three other winners from dam Lady Pewitt’s six to race.
This family also includes Grade 2 winners Forest Camp and mission Impazible with Mission Impazible also earning multiple Grade 1 placings.
Danzatrice also has a 2-year-old filly by TAPIT, who sold to Whisper Hill Farm for $1.1 million last year and foaled another TAPIT filly last year.
TAPIT is making his mark on the Kentucky Derby as both a sire and a broodmare sire this year with his daughters also producing four runners in the top 20 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.