Disarm (c, 2, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit), a visually impressive rallying third behind subsequent GIII Sanford S. winner Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) going 5 1/2 furlongs on debut at Churchill Downs June 19, took a big step forward to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors in his second trip to the post at Saratoga Saturday.
Drawn on the fence in this seven-furlong affair, the Winchell homebred traveled nicely on the inside in fifth through an opening quarter in :22.77. The 9-5 second-choice was tipped out three deep leaving the quarter pole and powered home in style down the stretch to graduate by 6 1/4 lengths over Arthur's Ride (Tapit). Crupi (Curlin), part of the Todd Pletcher-trained favored entry, came flying late from another zip code to just miss second.
“Lots of talent–he was highly touted coming from mom and dad's,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said on FS2's Saratoga Live. “High expectations. Didn't do much correctly first time out, just because he's a big boy. Looks like he's gonna stretch out beautifully. We will definitely get to dream with him for a while.”
Disarm becomes the fifth 'Rising Star' for last year's record-setting freshman sire Gun Runner.
The Gun Runner over Tapit cross–two of the best to ever carry the maroon-and-white Winchell silks–is already responsible for last term's GII Adirondack S. heroine Wicked Halo, Monomoy Girl S. winner Society and Texas Turf Mile S. winner Red Run.
Disarm's dam Easy Tap–a $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling purchase–won one of five starts for the Winchells and Asmussen. The 12-year-old has produced Tap Daddy (Scat Daddy), a winner of Pimlico's James W. Murphy S. and runner-up in the GIII Dixiana Bourbon S. for these same connections. He was also a champion stayer in Venezuela after being sold privately. Easy Tap is also responsible for the multiple stakes-placed Total Tap (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a Gun Runner colt of this year. Easy Tap was bred back to Silver State for 2023.
For more on Disarm, click here for a recent column in Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' series.
6th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-6, 2yo, 7f, 1:24.51, ft, 6 1/4 lengths.
DISARM, c, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Easy Tap, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Easily, by Vicar
3rd Dam: White Jasmine, by Whitesburg
Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $69,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. *1/2 to Tap Daddy (Scat Daddy), Ch. Stayer-Ven, SW & GSP-USA, MSW-Ven, $252,384; Total Tap (Candy Ride {Arg}), MSP, $221,112.
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