Tapiture, who finished second to Strong Mandate in a maiden special weight race last August at Saratoga, reversed that order of finish on Monday at Oaklawn Park, when he strode to a 4 1/4-length win over the even-money favorite in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes.
A massive total of 16 horses passed the entry box Monday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.
A year ago, trainer Shug McGaughey won the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes from the rail with Orb. On Saturday, the Hall of Fame horseman will defend that title from the other end of the post-position spectrum after his Top Billing drew post 12 in a bulky field of 13 3-year-olds entered Monday for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.
With the window of opportunity to get two workouts in before the March 1 Gotham Stakes starting to close, Withers runner-up Uncle Sigh worked five furlongs in 59.98 seconds over the Belmont Park training track on Monday afternoon.
With jockey Joel Rosario making a rare appearance at Santa Anita on Sunday, he and trainer John Sadler teamed to win the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes with Kobe’s Back, and on Monday, Sadler said Rosario had picked up the mount on Kristo for the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 8 at Santa Anita.
The hits just keep on coming for trainer John Sadler. Eight days after winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes with Candy Boy, Sadler won another important 3-year-old stakes race at Santa Anita when Kobe’s Back rallied from last to beat five rivals in the Grade 2, $200,250 San Vicente Stakes on Sunday.
If the Kentucky Derby were to be run on a synthetic track – which it will not – Tamarando automatically would be a very serious contender. Tamarando’s half-length victory over Dance With Fate on Saturday was his fourth win, including three stakes, from seven tries on three different synthetic surfaces.
Trainer Mike Maker said all systems are go for General a Rod, who’s expected to be part of a large and very competitive field for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. The $400,000 Fountain of Youth is the final major prep at Gulfstream Park for the meet’s marquee event, the $1 million Florida Derby, on March 29.
Tamarando was content to sit last through the first six furlongs, but then unleashed a strong closing run to score a solid victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Corey Nakatani will ride Withers Stakes runner-up Uncle Sigh in the Grade 3, $500,000 Gotham Stakes on March 1 at Aqueduct, replacing Pablo Morales.
