Tapit Today Gets Breakthrough Graded Stakes Victory In Athenia

William Lawrence and Bradley Thoroughbreds' Tapit Today broke through in a stakes after a trio of close efforts, running down pacesetter Mitchell Road from the outside in the final furlong and holding off her competitor for a one-length win in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Athenia for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Tapit mare was coming off a third-place effort in the G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf on September 12, which followed a fourth-place effort in the G3 Matchmaker in July at Monmouth Park and another third in her 5-year-old debut in the G3 Suwannee River in February at Gulfstream Park.

In her first start at Belmont, Tapit Today broke sharp from the outside post under jockey Jose Ortiz and tracked in third position as Mitchell Road and Sweet Bye and Bye led the eight-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.89 seconds, the half in 50.37 and three-quarters in 1:13.11 over the firm inner turf.

Out of the final turn, jockey Luis Saez kept Mitchell Road near the rail, but Tapit Today challenged from her outside, went eye-to-eye and passed her rival in mid-stretch. The Chad Brown trainee maintained that urgency and completed the 1 1/16-mile course in a 1:42.56 final time.

“She had an outside post and I tried to ride her like she was the best and control the race a little bit if I had enough horse, and I did,” said Ortiz, who registered his Belmont fall meet-leading 35th win. “Past the half-mile, I had the favorite right inside of me and I controlled the race from the three-eighths pole to the wire.”

Tapit Today improved to 4-2-2 in 10 career starts and posted her best stakes performance since running second in the 2018 Riskaverse at Saratoga. Off at 5-1, she returned $13.60 on a $2 win wager and improved her career earnings to $212,230.

“She had a great trip today. Jose and I spoke about it in the paddock and looking at all her races, it seems like she's a clear-running horse,” Brown said. “She runs a bit better out in the clear. She can be a little temperamental.”

Tapit Today gave Brown his fourth victory in the Athenia in the previous five runnings and marked the conditioner's fifth overall win in the contest. It was also Brown's meet-leading 20th win of the fall meet, which concludes on November 1.

“Normally, a race like this with the funny turns at a mile and a sixteenth here you wouldn't want an outside post,” Brown said. “We talked about the post position in the paddock about how it might benefit her to be in the clear today. She sort of resents being covered up.”

Mitchell Road, who bested Tapit Today when second last out in the Ladies Turf, finished one length ahead of the Brown-trained She's Got You for second.

“She was travelling pretty good, but she's better on firmer turf,” Saez said. “When she came to the stretch she couldn't get a hold of it [the turf] and it cost me a little bit because the winner got on top of me. She tried to fight back but it was a little late.”

She's Got You, making just her third career North American start and graded stakes debut, was a neck better than fellow English-bred Feel Glorious to earn blacktype for Brown.

Call Me Love, Altea, Sweet Bye and Bye and Story Time completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday with a nine-race card. First post is 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

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Strength In Numbers And Quality: Brown Expected To Pre-Enter 13 Horses In Seven Races

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown worked a number of his baker's dozen of Breeders' Cup contenders over the weekend on both dirt and turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Brown said he will pre-enter in seven Breeders' Cup events: the Filly & Mare Turf [Sistercharlie, Rushing Fall, My Sister Nat and Nay Lady Nay]; Mile [Raging Bull, Uni, Digital Age]; Distaff [Dunbar Road]; Dirt Mile [Complexity], Juvenile [Reinvestment Risk]; Juvenile Fillies Turf [Editor At Large]; Juvenile Turf [Public Sector]; and Turf Sprint [Front Run the Fed].

“I think our group is representative of the diversity of our team, being able to work with any kind of horse,” said Brown, who has won 15 Breeders' Cup events. “This is the time to showcase not only your horses but your team's ability to get to the championship day for various owners out there to see.”

Klaravich Stables' Complexity, last out winner of the Grade 2 Kelso at Belmont, worked a half-mile solo in 48.81 Sunday on Big Sandy after missing a work last week.

“He worked this morning and worked great,” said Brown of the 2018 Grade 1 Champagne-winner. “He will be pre-entered tomorrow as long as he comes out of it well.”

A number of notables breezed on the Belmont inner turf Sunday led by Rushing Fall and Sistercharlie, who worked five-eighths in 1:01.85.

Rushing Fall, a five-time Grade 1-winner, captured the Grade 1 Diana last out on August 23 at Saratoga. Sistercharlie, a seven-time Grade 1-winner, was fourth last out in the Flower Bowl in just her second start of the season. Both mares will be retired following the Breeders' Cup.

“They're both training great. Rushing Fall has been a model of consistency all year in works and racing,” said Brown. “Sistercharlie got started a little later than we wanted and was clearly a little rusty and out of form in her first start. In her second start, much improved and we decided to skip the Flower Bowl and go fresh.

“So far, that decision, based on her morning works, is clearly the right one,” added Brown regarding Sistercharlie. “Her last two workouts have been her best two workouts of the year, I thought. She continues to train up to the race the right way.”

My Sister Nat and Nay Lady Nay worked in company in 50.66 as they look to step up against their well-regarded stablemates.

Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables' reigning Champion Turf Female Uni worked five-eighths in company with Domestic Spending in 1:02.58.

“She worked well. I had her in 1:01 and change,” noted Brown, who advised that Domestic Spending is targeting the nine-furlong Grade 1 Hollywood Derby.

Digital Age [1:02.02] worked in company with Analyze It [1:02.05] through five panels.

Klaravich Stables' maiden winner Public Sector, second last out in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont, and Peter Brant's maiden winner Editor At Large, third last out in the Miss Grillo at Belmont, worked in company in 1:02.69.

Brown said Public Sector would benefit from an expected stronger pace in the Juvenile Turf.

“He's an improving horse. His maiden win was super impressive at Saratoga,” said Brown. “In the Pilgrim, he got caught in a pace less race. He was really out of sorts that way. He needs some pace to run at. He would be better in a larger field and I like the cutback for him to a mile on a tighter track with even more going on in front of him.

“I'll pre-enter Editor At Large in the Juvenile Fillies Turf,” added Brown. “She worked exceptional today and I want to try and get her in the race if we can.”

On Saturday, Reinvestment Risk, runner-up to Jackie's Warrior in both the Grade 1 Runhappy Hopeful and Grade 1 Champagne, worked a half-mile in 48.20 inside of maiden Miles D on the Belmont main.

“I wanted to make share he kept his attention to business and it worked out really well,” said Brown regarding the rail-skimming work. “He went with a promising maiden – Miles D – and they went well together. He's doing well and we're going to go on to that race [Juvenile].”

Brown said Reinvestment Risk will appreciate the Keeneland main track after a disappoint effort in the Champagne last out at Belmont when 5 ½-length in arrears to a runaway Jackie's Warrior.

“I just don't think he cared for the track particularly at Belmont that day,” said Brown. “That said, the winner was super impressive and it's hard to imagine anyone beating him even if he loved the track that day.

“He's come back and worked well and I think he'll appreciate a different surface at Keeneland,” added Brown. “I have a feeling that track will play a little more like Saratoga.”

Peter Brant's Grade 1 winner Dunbar Road, third last out in the Grade 2 Beldame at Belmont, worked five-eighths Saturday in 1:01.85 on the main track towards her second attempt at the Distaff following a fifth last year.

“Dunbar Road went solo yesterday and she worked well and came out of it well. She's on target for the Distaff,” said Brown.

Klaravich Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Newspaperofrecord worked a half-mile in 48.40 Sunday on the Belmont main in preparation for a start in the Grade 1 Matriarch, a one-mile turf event on November 29 at Del Mar.

“She did a beautiful half mile on the dirt. She looked great,” said Brown.

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Without Parole Retired To Newsells Park Stud In England For 2021

Without Parole, winner of the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes, has been retired and will return to the U.K. to commence stud duties at Newsells Park Stud for the 2021 season, it has been announced.

Bred by John and Tanya Gunther, the son of Frankel was unbeaten in his first four starts culminating in his impressive victory at Royal Ascot, where he justified favoritism to beat the likes of Gustav Klimt and Irish 2000 Guineas winner, Romanised. His winning time that day was the second fastest ever recorded at Ascot, faster than Kingman and Without Parole's own sire Frankel. A subsequent switch to Chad Brown in the U.S., saw Without Parole consistently perform at the very highest level over a mile with placings in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Shadwell Turf Mile and Shoemaker Mile.

Commenting on his retirement to Newsells Park Stud, general manager Julian Dollar said, “We're delighted to be standing Without Parole at Newsells Park. It's no secret that we, like virtually every other global stallion operation, chased this horse hard after his impressive win at Royal Ascot and its fitting he should now retire to the Stud where he was born and raised. Without Parole is a beautiful horse with an athletic physique and superb conformation. As his race record states, he's an out and out miler who possesses a great turn of foot. Importantly, he has a potent, proven sire's pedigree which should offer breeders plenty of options. He'll certainly be heavily supported by Newsells Park and of course his Eclipse-award winning breeders, John and Tanya Gunther.”

Commenting on his retirement to stud, John Gunther said: “Without Parole has given me the most memorable and exciting day of my life with his victory in the St. James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. It was my biggest dream come true and I continue to be overwhelmed by the heart and perseverance he has shown with his racing pursuits in America. He has raced in 12 consecutive Grade 1s and faced myriad traffic obstructions, at times unsuitable turf conditions and he just never gives up, as demonstrated again by his third place finish in the prestigious Shadwell Turf Mile. I love this horse and can't wait to breed to him.”

Commenting on Without Parole, John Gosden said: “He was a very sound and tough colt and an incredibly good natured horse to train. He won the St James's Palace in courageous style off a strong pace and he showed great speed in the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Commenting on Without Parole, Chad Brown said: “When Without Parole came to me last year, he immediately showed himself to be a class horse with tremendous ability. I thought so highly of him that I paired him up with Bricks and Mortar, who of course went on to win the Breeders' Cup Turf and be awarded Horse of The Year honors. Without Parole ran huge in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Mile to be third off of a six month lay-off and it has been hugely frustrating that he hasn't added another Group 1 to his resume. He has run some incredibly good races again this year, just not had the necessary racing luck.”

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Etoile Gets The Trip, Earns Grade 1 Status With E.P. Taylor Triumph

Etoile, runner-up as the favorite when invading from New York for trainer Chad Brown in the Aug. 15 Dance Smartly, made amends at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario, on Sunday by taking the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes by a neck under Rafael Hernandez.

Court Return, an improving half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winners Channel Maker and Johnny Bear, closed resolutely on the far outside to finish second in the field of seven for the $600,000 race over 1 1/4 miles of the renowned E.P Taylor turf course.

“It was a good trip,” said Hernandez, who was riding his meet-leading 12th stakes winner. “I called Chad this morning and he told me, 'Raffi, try to get a good trip like last time. Just make sure you clear down the stretch.'

“He told me he'd been working the horse a few times and he put her outside of other horses, and she'd be finishing great.”

Theodora B., who had defeated Etoile by three-quarters of a length in the Dance Smartly over the same course and distance, assumed her preferred position on the front end while carving out fractions of :26.44, :51:03 and 1:15.50 over the 'good' course.

Elizabeth Way prompted the pace from second on the outside with Etoile sitting pretty while in easy striking distance in third on the inside.

Turning for home, Hernandez swung Etoile off the rail and was getting to Theodora B. as the mile went in 1:38.68.

Two lengths in front with a furlong to go, Etoile had enough left to prevail with Court Return ending two lengths to the good of third-place Secret Message.

“I heard that other horse coming late but I wish she was coming closer,” said Hernandez. “It was too far out so my horse couldn't see. That's why I switched the whip to the left, to try to get her out and get her attention. But we did it.”

Rideforthecause, coming off her first stakes win in the 1 1/8 mile Canadian, was unable to mount a serious challenge while another half-length back in fourth.

Theodora B., Pretty Point and Elizabeth Way completed the order of finish. The final time was a solid 2:03.12.

The E.P. Taylor also was the final leg of Woodbine's “Ladies of the Lawn,” a four-race turf stakes series for fillies of mares consisting of the Nassau, Dance Smartly, Canadian and E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Elizabeth Way, the Nassau winner, ended third and fourth in the ensuing legs and finished with 19 points for the top bonus prize of $50,000. Second money of $15,000 went to Etoile with 17 points, and $10,000 for third, to Canadian winner Rideforthecause with 13. Points were awarded on a 10-7-5-3-2 basis for the top five finishers in each stakes with one point earmarked for other also rans.

Starship Jubilee captured the 2019 E.P. Taylor while prevailing as the inaugural “Ladies of the Lawn” champion and went on to be voted Canada's Horse of the Year.

Etoile, a French-bred 4-year-old by Siyouni owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. M. V. Magnier, and Mrs. Paul Shanahan, was recording her first G1 win and first victory of any stripe in just her third start this side of the pond.

In the E.P. Taylor, Etoile returned $7, $3.60 and $3.40 as the co-5-2 second choice with Theodora B.

Court Return, the longest shot on the board at almost 42-1, paid $28.90 and $11 for the place and show and completed a 3-5 exacta worth $205.60.

Secret Message ($5.50) rounded out a 3-5-6 trifecta worth $895 with 3-5-6-1 superfecta coming back at $1,714.85 for $1.

Etoile winning the E.P. Taylor under Rafael Hernandez

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