Santa Anita: Tap It Rich makes impressive debut for Baffert

ARCADIA, Calif. – Tap It Rich, an impressive winner in his career debut over one mile Saturday, might start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday that he wants to observe Tap It Rich in the next week before finalizing plans. Baffert said he and his clients, Fog City Stable, would give the BC Juvenile “some serious thought if [Tap It Rich] trains well.”

A decision must be made by Oct. 21, the day pre-entries are due for Breeders’ Cup races.

On Saturday, Tap It Rich overcame a slow start and a wide trip to win a one-mile race for maidens by 4 1/4 lengths, with little urging in the final sixteenth by jockey Mike Smith. Tap It Rich ($8.40) was timed in 1:36.78 and earned a strong Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
“We liked him going in, but I didn’t think he’d run like that,” Baffert said.

Purchased for $510,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale, Tap It Rich is by Tapit out of the Mr. Prospector mare Gold Canyon. He is a half-brother to the A.P. Indy horse Adriano, who won the Grade 2 Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park in 2008 and was 19th in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

[BREEDERS’ CUP 2013: See DRF’s top contenders]

Blonde Fog third in return

The Baffert-trained Blonde Fog could only finish third in an optional claimer for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles in Sunday’s first race, her first start since December. Blonde Fog was second in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet in her final start of 2012.

She was 1-5 to win Sunday’s first race but finished third behind Melanistic ($35) and 16-1 Irish Presence. The stretch run was the subject of a nine-minute inquiry regarding a bumping incident in the final sixteenth between Melanistic and Blonde Fog. The stewards did not change the order of finish despite extensive video review, stating that the bumping did not affect the order of finish.

Melanistic finished a neck in front of Irish Presence, who was 1 1/4 lengths in front of Blonde Fog.