It was a big day for TAPIT 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs on Friday when both Magic Tap and Scylla put in massive performances at the track.
Making his second career start, Winchell Thoroughbreds’ $450,000 yearling purchase Magic Tap proved that he was happy going 1 1/16 miles on the dirt when jumping out first in the race and quickly controlling the pace.
Kept honest by Mr McGregor throughout much of the early running, when that one made a challenge turning into the stretch the race was over. Magic Tap responded to the challenge and quickly pulled away to a six length victory in the Maiden Special Weight.
#1 Magic Tap opens up to steal R5 at Churchill Downs for trainer Steve Asmussen with @flothejock in the saddle! 💫
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/cd5wbR6hxy
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 2, 2023
Also making her second career start and named a TDN Rising Star in her debut last out, the Juddmonte homebred Scylla put in another big performance under the twin spires.
Held just off the pace by jockey Javier Castellano in the one mile race, the daughter of champion Close Hatches was willing to relax behind the dueling leaders. Castellano wasn’t afraid to swing Scylla wide approaching the quarter pole and that was her cue to get serious. She quickly confronted the leaders before finding herself all alone in the stretch.
The beautifully bred #5 Scylla makes it two-for-two in R8 at Churchill Downs for trainer Bill Mott with @jjcjockey aboard! 👑
This 3-year-old filly is the daughter of super sire Tapit and MG1W Close Hatches! A homebred for @JuddmonteFarms.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/2QtpxwGV8b
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 2, 2023
Scylla held plenty in reserve while still building her margin to 8 ¼ lengths as she flashed under the wire to show why she was a big race favorite.
Magic Tap is a three-quarter brother to the Grade 1 winning American Gal and stakes winning Americanize out of a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Reynaldothewizard and Grade 1 winner Seventh Street. Seventh Street is also the dam of TAPIT’s Grade 2 winning Lake Avenue.
Scylla is one of two impressive TAPIT runners out of the Eclipse winning mare Close Hatches, who also produced multiple graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1 placed Tacitus.
TAPIT has a 29% strike rate with his 3-year-olds this year with two winning stakes and seven placing at the stakes level. That group is led by Grade 1 winner Tapit Trice.