Tapiture ends win drought in Ack Ack Handicap
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Just in time for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Tapiture ran a corker Saturday for his first victory in more than a year when capturing the 23rd running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs.
Last year at Santa Anita, Tapiture ran second behind Goldencents in the BC Dirt Mile, which will be renewed Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
“You’d hope this would do the horse a world of good toward that,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Tapiture for owner and breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds. “We’re very happy to make it back to the winner’s circle with him.”
Tapiture really had to dig down deep to claim his fifth win from 17 lifetime starts and his first since the West Virginia Derby in August 2014. Shortly after turning for home in the one-turn, one-mile race, the colt took over from front-runners Roman Unbridled and Hat of Jacks, then was put to a fierce drive by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. to prevail by a half-length over the oncoming Viva Majorca, the even-money favorite.
Hat of Jacks was another four lengths back in third in the field of seven older horses.
“When he felt the other horse, he kept going,” said Santana.
Tapiture, a 4-year-old colt by Tapit, returned $7.40 to win as the second choice after finishing in 1:35.39 over a fast track. He earned $60,760 to lift his career bankroll to $1,536,820. It was his third graded stakes win in as many years at Churchill, following the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at 2 and the Grade 3 Matt Winn at 3.
The $2 exacta (5-6) paid $17.40, the $1 trifecta (5-6-4) returned $117.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-6-4-3) was worth $38.69.