Tapiture, Carve renew rivalry in Lone Star Handicap

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Familiar rivals Tapiture and Carve break side-by-side in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on Monday. Tapiture and Carve will vie for favoritism in the mile-and-a-sixteenth race.

The Lone Star drew six older horses, with Tapiture to break from post 5 and Carve post 6. They have met three times, including in the Grade 2, $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap in which Carve finished second and Tapiture third. Last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Tapiture ran second and Carve sixth.

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The Lone Star Handicap field also includes Majestic City, a Grade 3 winner who invades from Santa Anita, and Cy Seven, who two starts ago set a course record for a mile and a sixteenth on turf at Sam Houston.

Lone Star Park Handicap (Race 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Tapiture (Last 3 Beyers: 97-88-105)

◗ The class of the Lone Star Handicap field as a multiple Grade 2 winner of $1.4 million, he rallied from farther off the pace than usual in the Oaklawn Handicap in his last start April 11.

“I thought he was a little flat away from there,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “I was surprised going into the first turn. He ran pretty good from there. I am hoping he’s a little sharper. I’m expecting him to be.”

◗ There is a 50-percent chance of rain for Monday, and Tapiture ran one of his best races on a wet track, when second by a half-length to Hoppertunity in last year’s Rebel.

◗ Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Tapiture for Winchell Thoroughbreds.

Carve (Last 3 Beyers: 104-92-106)

◗ He was prominent throughout in the Oaklawn Handicap, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind winner Race Day. Carve earned the second-highest Beyer Speed Figure of his career, a 104.

“It was a big, big effort,” said Brad Cox, who trains Carve. “I thought for a minute he might get past Race Day, but he kind of rebroke. The time was quick. It was a big race and, honestly, he’s really thriving going into this race. I think he’s as good now as he was then, maybe better.”

◗ Carve shows some strong works for what will be his first out since the Oaklawn Handicap.

“I think he’s a horse that really likes four, five, six weeks between races,” said Cox.

◗ Carve, with Jesus Castanon aboard for owner Mike Langford, could set the pace Monday, or track Cy Seven.

◗ Carve, who could become a millionaire in the Lone Star, registered his biggest win in the slop, the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows.