Triple Tap debuts with an easy victory

ARCADIA, Calif. - Triple Tap, a 3-year-old half-brother to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, did his job in his debut in a maiden special weight race at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Saturday, easily beating three overmatched rivals.

Triple Tap stalked pacesetter Eyes Open through a modest pace of 23.31 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.63 for a half-mile before taking the lead on the turn under jockey Flavien Prat. Racing outside of Eyes Open, Triple Tap took a commanding lead in the stretch and was hand-ridden to the wire for an impressive, and expected, win.

Triple Tap ($2.40) was timed in 1:23.12.

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“I was happy with where I was,” Prat said. “I could have made the lead, but I didn’t want to. He responded well when I asked him to go. I thought he’d break and go on right away.”

Triple Tap won by 4 1/4 lengths over 7-2 Barraza, also trained by Baffert. Only four raced. Eyes Open was third, followed by Ivory Sky. Johan Zoffani was scratched earlier Saturday.

Triple Tap, by Tapit, races for owner and breeder Jane Lyon. Trainer Bob Baffert said Triple Tap will have his next start around two turns.

“We wanted to get this race out of the way,” he said. “We’ll figure out what do to.

“He went nicely and he looks like he’ll get two turns easily. I like what I saw. It looks like the farther, the better.”

In the winner’s circle, Baffert stopped short of declaring Triple Tap a Kentucky Derby candidate.

“It will be difficult,” he said. “We don’t plan on being in a rush.”

Triple Tap is a full-brother to Chasing Yesterday, a four-time stakes winner bred and owned by Lyon and trained by Baffert.