Trappe Shot heads strong allowance

No one would have given a second thought if the talented 3-year-old Trappe Shot was entered in Saturday's Grade 2 Woody Stephens. His connections, however, wanting to go the more conservative route, entered him in a first-level allowance race on Saturday's program that goes as race 4.

The race drew nine horses and came up very strong.

"This might be a Grade 3 allowance race," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said with speedsters Eightyfiveinafifty and D' Funnybone running in the Woody Stephens, he opted for the allowance. Trappe Shot has won two allowance races, but both were restricted to Florida-breds, which is why he is eligible for this seven-furlong race.

Trappe Shot, who won his previous two races by 23 lengths, missed the Grade 3 Withers on April 24 when an ankle issue flared up. McLaughlin said the issue resolved itself quickly and the horse is doing fine now.

Other contenders in the field include Top It, Monte Carlo, Zito Tony, and Tahitian Warrior.