Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s top older sprinter, Trappe Shot, worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds ion Sunday at Saratoga in company with Gallant Dreams in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on Aug. 7.
"He galloped out well, looked great doing it, just what we wanted,’’ McLaughlin said. "We’ll do this again next Sunday, weather permitting. We like where we are.’’
In a powerhouse performance, Trappe Shot slipped through on the rail turning for home and drew away to notch his first graded stakes victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 True North Handicap. It was the second stakes win on the card for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the Acorn with It’s Tricky a race earlier.
Your browser does not support iframes
ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he hasn’t yet won a graded stakes, it seems like just a matter of time for Trappe Shot, who figures to vie for favoritism with the entry of D’ Funnybone and This Ones for Phil in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 True North Handicap at six furlongs at Belmont Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The handicap division is wide open this year, and two horses who could have a say in things as the season progresses, Trappe Shot and Tizway, both turned in sharp workouts Friday morning at Palm Meadows.
Trappe Shot, working in company with stablemate Alyarf, went five furlongs in 1:00.60. Tizway earned the bullet after completing the distance in 1:00.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trappe Shot is in. So is Miner’s Reserve - for now. Perhaps fittingly, Super Saver, the somewhat forgotten Kentucky Derby winner, is on the extreme outside for Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga.
That trio, as well as Jim Dandy winner A Little Warm, were among the 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s 141st Travers, run at 1 1/4 miles. If the field holds, it will equal the second-largest since 1993, when Sea Hero won in a field of 11. The 2008 Travers, won by Colonel John, had a field of 12.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When it comes to readiness for the Travers, Tony Dutrow believes A Little Warm is already there, Todd Pletcher says Super Saver is getting there, and Kiaran McLaughlin doesn’t know yet if Trappe Shot is going there at all.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he will consider both the King’s Bishop at seven furlongs and the $1 million Travers at 1 1/4 miles as potential next starts for Haskell Invitational runner-up Trappe Shot.
McLaughlin felt his horse was compromised by a bad start in the Haskell, but added that it might have made the difference of getting beat two lengths by Lookin At Lucky instead of four.
“He got the jump on us and he ran huge,” McLaughlin said. “We proved we fit with these types; we always felt like we did.”
A couple of months ago, just after he took over as the trainer of Uptowncharlybrown, Kiaran McLaughlin worked him one morning in company. The other horse performed so well that Bob Hutt, who manages the partnership that owns Uptowncharlybrown, asked McLaughlin for the name of the workmate.
"He's one of the best five 3-year-olds in the country," McLaughlin replied.
