TAPWRIT’s impressive Maiden Special Weight winner Amstrong burst onto the stakes scene in a big way on Saturday night with a win in the Not Surprising Stakes at Gulfstream Park one start after his maiden victory.
Covering 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic track, the gray quickly took up a spot in the middle of the field as he raced two paths off the rail through an easy run down the backstretch. Approaching the far turn, Amstrong moved closer to set himself up for a challenge around the turn. That quickly paid off for the colt as he gunned for the lead to enter the stretch in a three-way duel for the lead.
Amstrong secured command in the final furlong and easily pulled away under Miguel Vasquez with that rider giving him a few more taps near the line to keep him focused on the win.
Trained by Jose Francisco D’Angelo for Soldi Stable and Ohana Racing, Amstrong has now finished in the top three in three of four starts for $77,550 in earnings.
Co-bred by Gainesway and Bridlewood Farm, the TAPWRIT son is the first foal out of two-time winner Abbreviate. She is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Solve and out of the stakes placed Acronym, who is one of five stakes performers out of her own dam.
Abbreviate also foaled a TAPWRIT filly in March of last year.
This is the third blacktype winner for TAPWRIT and fourth blacktype performer for the stallion with his three stakes winners ninth best of all second crop stallions.