Riding three-race streak, Tatweej makes two-turn and stakes debut in Harlan's Holiday

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher will likely have a pretty good idea which direction the 2021 campaign of his regally bred Tatweej might head after sending the lightly raced but promising 4-year-old out for his much-anticipated stakes debut against a field that includes Grade 1 stakes winner Math Wizard in Saturday’s $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday will be decided at 1 1/16 miles and serves as a prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 23.

Tatweej, a son of Tapit out of Grade 1-placed Tiz Miz Sue, brought $2.5 million as a yearling at the 2017 Keeneland September sale but did not make it to the races until finishing third under maiden special weight conditions going a mile here nearly three years later. He has been unbeaten and virtually unchallenged in three subsequent starts, all at a mile here during the summer and early fall, while gradually going through his allowance conditions under Pletcher’s patient handling.

“He’s very well bred and always showed some talent,” said Pletcher. “It took a little while to get to the races, but he’s been ultra-consistent since he has. This is kind of his coming-out party, so to speak, if he’s able to handle this step up. It will be an opportunity to get him stretched out around two turns and see how he can handle that and the step up in class.”

Tatweej will break from the extreme outside in a field of seven and could prove the controlling speed with regular rider Edgard Zayas aboard.

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Math Wizard seeks to regain his best form after disappointing efforts in his last two starts, coming just a week apart late this summer, in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic and Grade 1 Woodward. He remains winless since upsetting the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby 14 months ago, with his best effort during that time a second-place finish to Global Campaign in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will take the blinkers off Math Wizard on Saturday.

Tax is another looking to cycle back to his top form while seeking not only his first victory since the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga during the summer of 2019, but perhaps a ticket back to the Pegasus World Cup, having finished ninth in that race earlier this season. Tax has made just one start since the Pegasus, finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2.

Phat Man and Identifier both won Grade 3 stakes here during the 2019-20 Championship meet, with Phat Man rallying to a one-length decision in the Fred Hooper, and Identifier using similar tactics to upset the Hal’s Hope at odds of 60-1.

Phat Man was second in this event a year ago behind War Story and to Mr Freeze here last winter in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile. He was subsequently sidelined more than eight months before returning to finish fourth in the seven-furlong Lafayette at Keeneland, and looms a major player second off the layoff under Irad Ortiz Jr. on Saturday.

“He was hung out wide.” trainer Kent Sweezey said, referring to Phat Man’s performance in the Lafayette. “He’s a massive horse. I thought he got a little tired, which goes to show you he needed one under his belt.”