Untapable has first breeze since Kentucky Oaks win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable had her first breeze since her 4 1/2-length romp in the May 2 filly classic when going five furlongs in 1:01.40 early Monday over a fast track at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said afterward he is extremely pleased with how Untapable has trained since her Oaks victory, and that although the upcoming Acorn Stakes was considered for the filly, “there’s a lot left on the table for her this year.”

Untapable is skipping the Grade 1, $750,000 Acorn on the June 7 Belmont Stakes undercard at Belmont Park in favor of the Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose Stakes three weeks later at Belmont. Both races are around one turn, with the Acorn run at a mile and the Mother Goose at 1 1/16 miles.

“Backing her up to a mile, after all this time we’ve spent getting her into a rhythm we’re happy with, it just wasn’t worth the one race,” said Asmussen.

Bred and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Untapable has emerged as the undisputed leader of the 3-year-old filly division in North America. Although Asmussen said he and owner Ron Winchell have not ruled out a run against male rivals, he said the tentative schedule for the Tapit filly is “Mother Goose, Coaching Club [American Oaks], Alabama, Cotillion,” with the year-end goal being the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.

According to Churchill clocker John Nichols, splits for the Monday work were 12.80 seconds, 25.60, 37.60, and 49.60, with gallop-out times of 1:14.20 and 1:28.80 for six and seven furlongs.

“She’s getting a lot out of her work every day,” said Asmussen.

Also on Monday, another Winchell homebred, Tapiture, breezed five furlongs for Asmussen in 1:01.80 in preparation for the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on the June 14 Stephen Foster Handicap program.

Meanwhile, another Winn prospect, Almost Famous, emerged from an easy allowance win Saturday in good shape, trainer Pat Byrne said Monday. The colt earned a career-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure in a 7 3/4-length victory over older horses.