Tapit has a new shooter on the Road to the Roses. ENFORCEABLE earned 10 points toward the Kentucky Derby starting gate with his win in the Grade 3 Lecomte at Fair Grounds on Saturday, and became Tapit’s latest stakes winner.
Off a step slow, Enforceable was forced to go four-wide around the first turn with jockey Julien Leparoux in tow. He rallied six-wide turning for home and stayed on down the lane to score a 1 ½ length victory as the 6/1 fourth choice in a final time of 1:43.72. His newly-accrued points place him second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
The Lecomte marked the fifth consecutive two-turn start for Enforceable, who now sports a career record of 7-2-1-2 with earnings of $267,150.
“Mark (trainer Casse) likes to put a good foundation into his two-year-olds,” said assistant trainer David Carroll. “We are so happy for Mr. and Mrs. (John) Oxley, they are terrific owners and we wish they were here today. I am sure they were watching at home, cheering him on. He trained beautifully down here and he is starting to mature. He’s a very kind horse to be around.”
“The pace set us up beautifully,” Carroll continued. “Julien (Leparoux) gave him a beautiful ride and we’re just so proud of this horse. He makes our job very easy. He has a terrific attitude and having him be so talented makes it even more enjoyable. Hopefully as the distances get longer, he’ll continue to get better. It was a nice field today and we are just so proud of his race.”
Carroll said that the Oxley’s and trainer Mark Casse would make the decision, but that the nine furlong Risen Star (G2) on February 15 at Fair Grounds would “make a lot of sense.”
The 3-year-old gray/roan colt is a full brother to Grade 2 winner Mohaymen and stakes winner Kingly; both are out of graded stakes winner Justwhistledixie, who also produced Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner New Years Day, sire of multiple Grade 1-winner Maximum Security. Owned by John Oxley and bred by Clearsky Farms, Enforceable was a $775,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
The race marked a graded stakes double on the day for Tapit, as his son Silver Dust scored in the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds earlier on the card. It was Silver Dust’s third graded stakes victory, following wins in the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes and the Mineshaft Handicap. Trained by Bret Calhoun, Silver Dust is owned by Tom Durant, and was bred by Don Alberto Corporation.
Tapit stands at Gainesway for $200,000.