Untapable, Tapiture work toward 2015 debuts

Untapable, the 2014 3-year-old champion, and her stablemate, Tapiture, both worked six furlongs Sunday morning at Fair Grounds, and trainer Steve Asmussen said the horses are on course to make their 2015 debut in stakes races March 14 at Oaklawn.

Untapable will start in the Grade 2, $300,000 Azeri Stakes. Tapiture will race in the Grade 3, $250,000 Razorback. Both races, contested over 1 1/16 miles, long have seemed the logical spots for Untapable and Tapiture, but Asmussen was leery of announcing specific race targets before the horses were well along on their training.

And they are now. Untapable, with regular work rider Angel Garcia up, went six furlongs in 1:12.20. Tapiture, with Carlos Rosas in the irons, went the same distance in 1:12.60. Both horses worked alone.

“She was steady and smooth and jumping a long ways,” Asmussen said. “She did more today. Angel slapped her on the shoulder at the head of the stretch. I really loved how she moved.”

Asmussen said Tapiture “was very relaxed today.”

“Both of them had a nice blow,” said Asmussen. “It definitely opened up their lungs, but they cooled out super, acted really good.”

Asmussen has a string at Oaklawn Park, and under normal weather conditions, the two horses would ship from Fair Grounds this week and have their final pre-race workouts there next weekend. But Oaklawn remains under winter’s grip, and Asmussen said he’ll keep the horses in New Orleans, work them again Sunday, and ship to Arkansas sometime the week before their March 14 races.

“When they ship will depend on the weather at Oaklawn,” Asmussen said. “Starting Thursday, it’s supposed to get better.”

Taptiure raced last season at Oaklawn, winning the Southwest, finishing second in the Rebel, and running fourth in the Arkansas Derby. The Razorback would be a natural stepping stone to the Oaklawn Handicap.

Tapiture, coming off a win in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, will be making her Oaklawn debut. If all goes well in the Azeri and beyond, she is a logical candidate for the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April.

The two Winchell Thoroughbreds homebreds came back from a short freshening in December, and all has so far gone very well with their preparation.

“Absolutely, it has, but that’s who they are. Look good, act good, doing good,” said Asmussen.