Untapable, Tapiture work towards stakes at Parx
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - With the Saratoga meeting reaching its conclusion, thoughts of the fall begin to come into focus for many horsemen.
Part of trainer Steve Asmussen’s fall plans involve running his two top 3-year-olds in $1 million races at Parx on Sept. 20. Untapable, the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose winner, is pointing to the Grade 1 Cotillion, while Tapiture, winner of the Matt Winn and West Virginia Derby in his last two starts, is pointing to the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby. Both put in workouts shortly after 6 a.m. Sunday over Saratoga’s main track.
Untapable, worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.75 seconds, breezing in company with the millionaire Regally Ready. Untapable, with Rosie Napravnik up, started just off the flank of Regally Ready and finished about a neck in front at the wire. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.62. It was her third breeze since her fifth-place finish against males in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 27.
“She came out of the race a little dehydrated, gave her a little time to get over it mentally, physically; skipped a couple of works,” Asmussen said. “She had two moves previous to this. Have nothing but respect for the field that’s shaping up and she’s going to have to be ready for them and I think today’s an indication that she’s definitely still a very fast filly, a very talented filly. I loved how she did it, loved how she came back.”
In the Cotillion, Untapable is scheduled to face multiple Grade 1 winners Stopchargingmaria, who won the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama here this summer, and Sweet Reason, winner of the Acorn at Belmont and Test here.
Napravnik, aboard Untapable for the first time since the Haskell, loved how Untapable went Sunday morning.
“She’s just on her game,” Napravnik said. “Every time I work her, I’m like ‘that was so awesome!’ So, the work was perfect, smooth. She worked with a great horse. It was a great set. Really can’t ask for anything better.”
Tapiture, meanwhile, worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.69 seconds, a final quarter in 24.29 seconds by himself. It was his second work since his nose victory over Candy Boy in the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 2. Tapiture has won two graded stakes since finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby.
“We made a mistake with him in the spring, had too many races in a short period of time and I think that showed,” Asmussen said. “Since the Derby, we feel we have corrected that and he’s responded accordingly.”
In the Pennsylvania Derby, Tapiture is expected to meet Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome.
Asmussen said he plans to leave both Untapable and Tapiture at Saratoga for the next few weeks, before shipping them to Parx on Sept. 18, two days before their races.