Souper Tapit converts perfect trip into Marine victory
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — The favored Souper Tapit parlayed an ideal stalking trip into a daylight score in the Grade 3, $134,250 Marine Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.
With Florent Geroux aboard, Souper Tapit ($5.90) stalked in third on the backstretch in the 1 1/16-mile event, as Montu set fast fractions, while being pressed by Conquest Lemonraid.
Souper Tapit make a three-wide bid to the lead at the quarter pole, and then held off a charging Channel Maker in the final furlong to win by two lengths, in a time of 1:43.52. Malibu Secret finished a distant third after a troubled trip, and Megagray wound up fourth in the seven-horse field of 3-year-olds.
“He’s extremely talented, an outstanding, well-bred horse,” said Geroux. “But he has some quirks into him. He’s by Tapit, and sometimes can be a little bit [difficult] in his races. His last race wasn’t very good, when he ran in the Lexington at Keeneland. I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to ride him. I had another commitment. But he’s a horse who I’m going to try to stick with because he’s extremely talented. He goes very well on dirt, also.”
Souper Tapit collected $75,000 in his first stakes success for Live Oak Plantation and trainer Mark Casse.