Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's Tapit Trice returned to the work tab for the first time since finishing third in the June 10 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, breezing a half-mile over the Belmont Park training track on Friday.
Guided through the move by exercise rider Fernando Rivera, Tapit Trice completed his four-furlong work in 49.90 seconds over the fast track. The sophomore Tapit gray was seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs prior to his Belmont Stakes run and captured the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 8 at Keeneland. Both the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on July 22 at Monmouth Park and the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy the following Saturday at Saratoga Race Course are likely next-out landing points for Tapit Trice, according to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
“Both are in play,” Pletcher said. “He had a nice easy breeze by himself this morning. He seemed happy and moving well.”
Pletcher added that Eclipse Award-winning stablemate Forte, who finished second in the Belmont Stakes, could have his first breeze following the 'Test of the Champion' next Friday.
Pletcher sent Bass Stable's homebred Grade 1 winner Annapolis and LSU Stables' graded stakes-placed Far Bridge to the inner turf on Friday morning. The pair went a half-mile in company in 49.86 seconds in preparation for their next respective outings.
Far Bridge, a troubled second in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge on June 3 at Belmont, is on target for the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational going 1 1/4 miles on July 8.
Annapolis will point for the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso on July 15 at Saratoga before a potential start in the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap on August 12 at the Spa. Both are one-mile turf events.
“Both went great. They were head and head the whole way and looked comfortable,” Pletcher said.
Pletcher added that Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude, a last-out winner of the Grade 2 Penn Mile on June 2 at Penn National, is likely for either the Belmont Derby or the Grade 3, $250,000 Manila going one mile at Belmont on the day prior.
The son of Bolt d'Oro is a three-time graded stakes winner, having captured the Grade 2 Pilgrim in October at Belmont at the Big A and the Grade 3 Kitten's Joy on February 4 at Gulfstream Park. Through a consistent 10-4-2-2 record, he has banked $714,895.
Pletcher also reported that 2021 New York Horse of the Year Americanrevolution will likely not make his 5-year-old debut until Saratoga. The son of Constitution has not raced since finishing second to Olympiad in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in September at the Spa.
Owned by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm, Americanrevoution has breezed consistently through the month of June, and went five furlongs in 1:02.01 on Thursday over the Belmont training track.
“He breezed his first five-eighths yesterday so we've got a little more work to do,” Pletcher said. “We'll resurface at Saratoga somewhere.”
Pletcher also stated that Repole Stable's New York-bred Gambling Girl, a late closing second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 5 at Churchill Downs, is targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22 at Saratoga.
The post Pletcher Stable Update: Jim Dandy, Haskell Next-Out Options For Belmont Stakes Third Tapit Trice appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
