English Bee hopes to end skid in Tapit Stakes

Graham Motion watched Kentucky Derby 146 on television from his Fair Hill base in northern Maryland on Saturday, before heading out the following day for the 11-hour drive to Kentucky Downs in south-central Kentucky.

“I have plenty to run there,” said Motion, who had a combined 11 entries on the first two cards of the Runhappy meet at Kentucky Downs.

Motion obviously is hoping the trip is productive. Among his runners Wednesday, the second day of the six-day meet, is English Bee, one of the lukewarm favorites in a wide-open renewal of the $300,000 Tapit Stakes, the ninth of 10 races at the spacious turf-only track.

English Bee is part of an oversubscribed lineup of older horses in the Tapit, a one-mile-and-70-yards race restricted to non-winners of a stakes in 2020. The Calumet Farm homebred was a three-time stakes winner last year at 3, but has been defeated in five starts this year. He was sixth, beaten only a length for all the money, in his most recent start, the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile on July 10 over the Keeneland turf.

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“Even though he has been going at it all year, I did try to freshen him up after the Keeneland race with this spot in mind,” said Motion, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 with Animal Kingdom. “He is such an honest horse and has been a little unlucky in that he hasn’t been beaten very far at all in a couple of those. Actually, I am pleasantly surprised at the level he has stepped up to.”

English Bee, a late-running son of 2007 turf champion English Channel, will have James Graham aboard when breaking from post 5 in the Tapit. His top challengers include a foursome from the barn of Mike Maker – Morocco, Hembree, Empire of War, and Temple. Of those, Hembree (post 8, Ricardo Santana Jr.) probably rates the best chance after also having proven himself quite competitive in graded company.

Temple (post 12) will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the two-time reigning Eclipse Award champion who will be having his first-ever Kentucky Downs rides Wednesday. Ortiz’s younger brother, Jose, has been a mainstay at Kentucky Downs since 2017, winning with 24 of 90 mounts. Both missed the meet opener Monday when finishing out the Saratoga meet, but intend to be on hand through closing day at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 16.

Sixteen are entered in the Tapit, although only as many as 12 can start.

First post daily at Kentucky Downs is 12:10 p.m. Central. The Tapit goes at 4:32. A typically loaded undercard includes four allowances with purses ranging from $100,000 to $95,000, along with three $90,000 maiden-specials. All non-claiming/starter races include substantial bonuses for registered Kentucky-breds.

The biggest day of the meet is Saturday, when five stakes, led by the $1 million Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup, will be run. Maker has the favorite for the Turf Cup in Zulu Alpha.

Handicapping contests set

The last two days of the meet (Sunday and next Wednesday) will coincide with online handicapping contests sponsored by Daily Racing Form. Cash prizes plus seats at the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) and 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) are at stake.

The standalone tournaments will be live-money events based primarily on Kentucky Downs races, although turf races from Monmouth Park will be optional events for the Sunday tournament.

Based on 100 entries for the Sunday tournament, the total prize pool will be $50,000, including four NHC prize packs (including flight reimbursement up to $400 and hotel) and one BCBC berth. Based on 80 entries for the Sept. 16 contest, the total prize pool will be $24,000, with the top three finishers earning an NHC prize pack. A greater number of entries will increase the prize pools.

The handicapper with the highest aggregate two-day total will receive additional prize money and a BCBC spot, worth $10,000.

Complete rules are available on kentuckydowns.com.

The contest will be conducted through Xpressbet, TVG, and 4NJBets online-wagering platforms. Players must be an NHC Tour member prior to the start of the contest to be eligible for NHC seats.