Tapit Trice outruns Verifying in Blue Grass Stakes
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tapit Trice joined his Todd Pletcher stablemates as major contenders for the 149th Kentucky Derby by getting the best of Verifying in an exciting stretch duel Saturday in the Keeneland spring showcase, the Grade 1, $998,125 Blue Grass Stakes.
Racing closer to the pace than he did last month in winning the Tampa Bay Derby, Tapit Trice used another determined stretch run in defeating Verifying by a neck. The winner returned $5.28 as the favorite in a field of 11 when finishing the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:50 over a fast track.
Tapit Trice now will proceed to Churchill Downs as one of the favorites for the May 6 Kentucky Derby, behind his Pletcher stablemate, Forte, the reigning champion among the current crop of 3-year-olds, and perhaps alongside Kingsbarns, the unbeaten winner of the Louisiana Derby, among the next group of top wagering choices.
An objection by Tyler Gaffalione, the rider of Verifying, for alleged stretch interference was disallowed by the stewards.
The Blue Grass was a 200-point qualifier (100-40-30-20-10) for the 149th Derby. Tapit Trice already had essentially clinched a berth after earning 50 points in his whirlwind victory in the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby, but the runner-up finish by Verifying as the 2-1 second choice likely gets him in, too.
On a brisk, mostly cloudy afternoon, Tapit Trice got away in mid-pack from post 1 and was seventh down the backstretch when Saez, in the clear in an outside path, began inching closer to the leaders. With a half-mile to go, Tapit Trice and Verifying both were poised to attack, and by the time they got to the quarter-pole, it was apparent the Blue Grass would come down to those two.
Down the stretch, the pair brushed lightly several times against each other, leading to Gaffalione claiming foul afterward. But the stewards saw no reason for any change in the order, and a cheer went up from the crowd when announcer Kurt Becker tersely said: “No change.”
“I feel like the other guy (Gaffalione) looked for a chance,” Saez said afterward. “We kept the horse straight and we won the race.”
Tapit Trice, said Pletcher, “didn’t jump well, but then he got a little momentum and it got a little hairy going into the first turn. Luis was able to take him out into the clear down the backside, which was the position we’d hoped to get into. Once he got into that stride, I thought we were in good shape.
“That’s him. We’re not going to make him into a quick horse. The distances, as they stretch out, we’ve always felt like it would make him better.”
Regarding the 1 1/4-mile Derby distance: “I think it’s right in his wheelhouse.”
Behind the top two, it was another 5 3/4 lengths back to Blazing Sevens in third, with Sun Thunder another half-length back in fourth.
Tapit Trice, bred in Kentucky by the Gainesway Stable of Antony Beck, was a $1.3 million yearling purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Sales. Gainesway co-owns the gray son of Tapit with the Whisper Hill Farm of Mandy Pope, in whose fuschia and yellow silks the colt competes.
“It is so awesome,” said Pope, who lives not far from Keeneland. “It’s dreams come true and a lot of hard work from a lot of people.”
Verifying, trained by Brad Cox for a Coolmore partnership, gave a big effort in defeat. Top prior efforts for the Justify colt included a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Champagne last fall and a January allowance romp at Oaklawn Park that graded out to a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
After the top four, the order was Raise Cain, Mendelssohns March, Hayes Strike, Classic Car Wash, Scoobie Quando, Major Blue, and Clear the Air.
The $2 exacta (1-3) paid $17.54, the $1 trifecta (1-3-8) returned $43.82, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-3-8-7) was worth $22.32.
The 99th Blue Grass was the last of five straight graded stakes and the final leg in several multi-race wagers, including a 50-cent pick five that paid $695.23.
*** Keeneland is dark Sunday because of the Easter holiday. Racing at the 15-day spring meet resumes Wednesday with an eight-race card.
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