A three-winner day for TAPIT on Saturday was led by Grade 1 winner Tapit Trice making a winning 2024 debut in the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) for a third career graded stakes win.
The TAPIT 4-year-old broke from the widest gate of all in the 1 1/8-mile race and was off a step slow before going into the first turn near the lead. Racing on the outside of the tightly packed field, Tapit Trice relaxed under Irad Ortiz Jr. from his spot as the field set an even pace down the backstretch.
Midway around the far turn, Tapit Trice had the lead and looked to be well in hand coming into the stretch. He received a few taps going into the final furlong and that was the only thing he needed to pull away by 5 ¼ lengths.
He's back! #8 TAPIT TRICE ($7.60) was impressive in his 4yo debut, easily winning the $500,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3). That's his third graded stakes win and his 5th overall. @IradOrtiz was in the irons for Todd Pletcher. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/oVnzZcNsKE
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) July 20, 2024
Bred by Gainesway, who is joined in his racing ownership by Whisper Hill Farm, the Todd Pletcher trainee has finished in the top three in eight of his 10 starts for $1,453,650 in earnings. Among the colt’s placings are five in graded stakes, led by a win in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and thirds in both the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1).
A $1.3 million Keeneland September Yearling purchase, Tapit Trice is out of the multiple stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Danzatrice. That mare is a half-sister to 2018 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Jaywalk and four other winners out of Lady Pewitt.
Danzatrice has a TAPIT 3-year-old filly named Danzit, a TAPIT juvenile named Aeolian, and foaled a colt by the stallion this season.
TAPIT was also the sire of a pair of juvenile winners on Saturday at Woodbine and Gulfstream Park. Salt broke her maiden by one length as a heavy favorite at Woodbine while Aristotle won a Gulfstream Park Maiden Special Weight in his second start.