Tapit

Sometimes Proxy (h, 5, Tapit--Panty Raid, by Include), the GI Clark H. winner, shows up and sometimes Proxy, the last-place finisher in the GI Stephen Foster S., makes an appearance. Saturday in Monmouth's $400,000 GIII Monmouth Cup S., it was the former, as the gutsy bay and 2-5 choice called on his class to uncharacteristically set the pace and turn back stiff challenges from Whelen Springs (Street Sense)--the only horse in the field with a recent win over the surface--and last-out GII Brooklyn S. runner-up Calibrate (Distorted Humor). "He really...

Cody's Wish (Curlin) worked five furlongs in 1:00 (1/15) Saturday over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the $1-million GI Whitney Aug. 5. The Godolphin homebred is currently on a six-race winning streak topped by a powerful 3 1/4-length score last out in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. June 10 at Belmont Park. "He was very good. He went five eighths and went well and appeared to be well within himself," Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. "We're uncertain about the nine furlongs (in the Whitney),...

Whisper Hill Farm homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (c, 4, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie) got his season back on track with a dominating performance in Saturday's GII Suburban S. at Belmont Park. The 3-5 favorite, a 23-length winner in last term's GIII Dwyer S. over the same surface, was kept out in the clear by Johnny Velazquez and took over following an opening quarter in :24.49. Still racing several paths off the rail down the backstretch, the gray took the field of five into the far...

Fort Bragg (c, 3, Tapit--March X Press, by Shanghai Bobby), scratched from last month's GI Woody Stephens S. after spiking a fever, narrowly outslugged the previously unbeaten Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) to gamely capture Saturday's GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park. Adding blinkers for this, the 3-5 favorite traveled smartly in third as Saudi Crown showed the way through an opening quarter in :22.47. Up a spot into second through an eye-opening half mile in :44.63, Fort Bragg loomed boldly on the outside as the two hit the quarter pole...

A $650,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Edified (c, 2, Tapit--For Royalty, by Not For Love) became his superstar sire's 53rd 'TDN Rising Star' Saturday with a commanding performance to graduate at Ellis Park. Facing a salty field of mostly first-time starters, the dark bay was given only a 9-1 chance but more than outran his odds. Under the hands of jockey Joel Rosario, Edified broke alertly from an inside gate and raced in the top flight inside of race-time favorite Normandy Hero (Omaha Beach). Joined up front by Liberal Arts...

3rd-Laurel, $52,520, Msw, 7-1, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.39, ft, 8 lengths. TOUPIE (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Amertume {GSP}, by Tapit) was a deserving even-money favorite in this unveiling, jumping up to strike the front from the early jumps to set the pace just outside of Remember Me (Imagining). The pair stayed in close quarters through fractions of :22.93 and :45.79 before Toupie eagerly shook off her shadow past the quarter pole and spurted clear, opening up a dominant advantage that was eight lengths on the wire. Remember Me held on for...

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) resumed his work schedule on Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track by traversing a half-mile in 50.40 for trainer Todd Pletcher. With exercise rider Hector Ramos aboard, Forte worked following the 9:30 a.m. renovation break and breezed in company with MGSW Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), who is slated to run in next Friday's GIII Manila S. at Belmont. The move was Forte's first since finishing second in the GI Belmont S. "We were just looking for an easy...

4th-ELP, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:13 p.m. EDIFIED (Tapit), a half-brother to GI La Brea S. winner Constellation (Bellamy Road), makes his afternoon debut Saturday for owner Courtlandt Farms and trainer Steve Asmussen. A $650,000 yearling purchase out of Keeneland September last autumn, the colt is out of the stakes-winning mare For Royalty, who brought a final bid of $2.1m from Summer Wind Equine at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. For Royalty is herself a half-sister to champion imported 2-year-old colt in Puerto Rico El Viento (El Corredor) and GSW/GISP...

1st-Belmont, $87,300, Msw, 6-18, 2yo, f, 5f, :58.74, ft, 3 lengths. WINE ON TAP (f, 2, Tapit--Princess La Quinta {GSW, $178,148}, by Quality Road) debuted here as the even-money co-favorite alongside Looks First (Mor Spirit). Breaking from post four, the gray filly tracked a longshot from second up the backstretch, pulled even with her rival past the quarter pole and went on to graduate by 3 lengths over the late-running Ilikefunsize (Upstart). The winner is her dam's first to make the races, but she does have a 3-year-old half-brother named...

2nd-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 3:30 p.m. When the hammer fell at OBS back in March, MUTH (Good Magic) was not only the session topper, but the 2-year-old tied the sale record with a final price of $2 million. Purchased by Amr Zedan and trained by Bob Baffert, the bay colt breezed during the under tack show by going 1/8 in :9 3/5. Muth debuts for these connections from the outside post with Juan Hernandez aboard. TJCIS PPS 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5f, 1:05 p.m. On Belmont's Sunday card,...

With a new cycle of yearling sales nearly upon us, nearly everyone will once again be deciding where they are most prepared to compromise. Would you prefer an athlete low on pedigree, or will you trust the genes to come through even if you're not wowed by the specimen in front of you? Well, there's no mistaking which strategy is recommended by the story of the GI Belmont S. winner. Though from one of America's most aristocratic families, Arcangelo (Arrogate) lurked in the September Sale as Hip 1182 and was...

Counterforce (Smart Strike), currently Canada's leading second-crop sire and 2022 champion freshman sire, will relocate from Road's End Farm in British Columbia to Stride Away Thoroughbreds in the Okanagan region for the 2024 season. The stakes winner is a half-brother to GII winner Cezanne (Curlin) and out of a half-sister to the dam of Saturday's GI Belmont S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate). "He's a lovely horse, with a magnificent pedigree," said Stride Away co-owner Cathy Reggelsen. "He came out firing as a freshman last year and that's certainly continued this season...