Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's Tapit Trice, gritty winner of Saturday's $1-million Toyota Blue Grass (G1), will head to Churchill Downs next Sunday to prepare for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Amelia Green, who is overseeing trainer Todd Pletcher's Keeneland string, said Tapit Trice would be joined at Churchill the following day by Pletcher's two other Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls: champion Forte, owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, and Spendthrift Farm's Kingsbarns, who will be shipping next Sunday from Palm Beach Downs in South Florida.
Pletcher, who won his record fourth Blue Grass on Saturday, plans to stay in Louisville through the Derby after all his hopefuls for the first jewel of the Triple Crown arrive next week.
Tapit Trice prevailed by a neck over over Verifying in the Blue Grass.
“He ran great,” said Blake Cox, assistant to his father, Brad, of Verifying's first start in six weeks. “He's very good this morning and will head to Churchill on Monday.”
Blazing Sevens, who secured a Derby berth by finishing third in the Blue Grass for trainer Chad Brown, likely will stay at Keeneland for a couple weeks.
“We may do like we did with (Blue Grass winner) Zandon last year and have a work here and then ship to Churchill,” said Baldo Hernandez, assistant to Brown.
Sun Thunder, who finished fourth in the Blue Grass, returned to Churchill Saturday night.
Trainer Kenny McPeek said plans for the Kentucky Derby are undecided. Sun Thunder has compiled 54 points on the Road to the Derby and has secured a spot in the starting gate should his connections decide to run.
Raise Cain rallied to finish fifth, a neck behind Sun Thunder.
“We will train up to the Derby at Keeneland and most likely will give the Derby a shot,” trainer Ben Colebrook said of Raise Cain, who has secured a spot in the Derby starting gate.
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