Pletcher planning to send Kentucky Derby brigade to Churchill on April 16

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tapit Trice will spend another week at Keeneland before heading over next Sunday (April 16) to Churchill Downs in Louisville, where the Blue Grass Stakes winner will embark on final preparations as one of the favorites for the 149th Kentucky Derby.

Tapit Trice earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in his determined victory by a neck over Verifying in the 99th Blue Grass on a brisk and mostly cloudy Saturday afternoon at Keeneland. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, said the gray colt came out of the race in good order and would spend a quiet week with his Keeneland string before being vanned the 72 miles to Churchill.

Tapit Trice, owned in partnership by his breeder, Gainesway Stable, and the Whisper Hill Farm of Mandy Pope, was ridden by Luis Saez when finishing the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50. He paid $5.28 as favorite in a field of 11 3-year-olds.

Pletcher said he will spend the coming week in Florida, preparing to decamp. The Hall of Fame trainer already has Forte as a solid favorite for the Derby on May 6, and he also trains Kingsbarns, the unbeaten winner of the Louisiana Derby. Both of those colts will have one more workout at Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach before being vanned sometime about April 16 to Churchill, where they’ll have their last two pre-Derby works.

Pletcher said the 1 1/4-mile Derby distance should be particularly suitable to Tapit Trice, a son of the classic sire Tapit.

“I think it’s right in his wheelhouse,” Pletcher said.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

This was a record fourth Blue Grass victory for Pletcher, breaking him out of what had been a five-way tie with Ben Jones, Woody Stephens, Leroy Jolley, and Nick Zito. Pletcher’s prior Blue Grass wins came with Bandini (2005), Monba (2008), and Carpe Diem (2015).

From a record 62 starters, Pletcher has won the Derby twice, with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017).

Meanwhile, trainer Brad Cox said he was happy with how Verifying performed in defeat as the 2-1 second choice. Verifying, owned by the Coolmore principals, also earned a 99 Beyer when finishing 5 3/4 lengths clear of third-finisher Blazing Sevens. It was something of a redemptive performance for a Justify colt who in early January got a 97 Beyer in an Oaklawn allowance romp prior to finishing a disappointing fourth as the favorite in the Rebel on Feb. 25.

Verifying, who was to be sent Monday to Cox’s main base at Churchill, now has 54 qualifying points for the Derby, which will be more than enough to make the 20-horse cutoff. Only one more qualifying prep remains, that being the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes (20-8-6-4-2) next Saturday (April 15) at Keeneland.

As for the others who were well back of the top two, Blazing Sevens (46 points) will stay at Keeneland for the time being, trainer Chad Brown said. The Good Magic colt will work on or about April 22, which is the same pattern Brown has used with some of his prior Derby starters, including Zandon, the third-place finisher last year behind Rich Strike. Blazing Sevens, winner of the Grade 1 Champagne last fall, got a 90 Beyer in the Blue Grass.

:: Bet Keeneland with Confidence: Get DRF PPs, Picks, and Betting Strategies. Shop Now.

Trainer Kenny McPeek said he is unsure whether to pursue the Derby with fourth-finisher Sun Thunder (54 points). McPeek’s two other Blue Grass starters were Mendelssohns March (sixth) and Hayes Strike (seventh).

Trainer Ben Colebrook, based year-round at Keeneland, said the Derby is likely for fifth-finisher Raise Cain (64 points), a 23-1 winner of the Gotham at Aqueduct in his previous start.

Through this weekend, with only the Lexington left, there’s a cluster of horses with 45 and 40 points taking up spots 19 through 26 on the updated Derby points list. Derby entries will be drawn the Monday before the race, May 1.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.