Big Score pointing to Tapit Stakes, Yakteen says

Big Score, who won an upper-level turf allowance Friday at Del Mar that had the feel of a listed stakes, is being pointed to the $300,000 Tapit Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9, trainer Tim Yakteen said Sunday morning.

Big Score, 6, won the 1 1/16-mile allowance while rallying from fourth in the five-horse field under Flavien Prat. It was only his second start of the year following a nine-month layoff. The Tapit, at a mile and 70 yards on turf, has conditions suited to order for Big Score, as it is for horses who have not won a stakes in 2020.

“We’re looking at that,” Yakteen said. “If we think it’s coming up too quick we can always wait for the City of Hope Mile,” a Grade 2, $200,000 race at Santa Anita on Oct. 3.

Big Score won the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland as a 3-year-old in 2017. He has not won a stakes since then, but has placed numerous times, including second-place finishes in the Del Mar Derby, Twilight Derby, and Penn Mile, and third-place finishes in the Hollywood Derby and Mathis Brothers Mile.