Triple Tap | Horse Racing Free Tips

Prat Sticks With Untested Flightline For Sunday’s Malibu Stakes

Unbeaten in two starts by a combined 26 lengths, John Sadler's freakishly good Flightline makes his stakes debut as he faces six sophomores going seven furlongs in Santa Anita's traditional Opening Day headliner, the Grade 1, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes on Sunday.

A heartbreak nose loser of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, Mark Glatt's Dr. Schivel, who had been unbeaten in three starts this year, will try to make his case for Eclipse Sprinter of the year honors as he seeks his third career Grade 1 victory. Throw in Bob Baffert's Triple Tap, who like Flightline, is unbeaten in two starts and making his first stakes appearance, and Runhappy Malibu appears to have the makings of an instant classic.

A bay colt by Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare Feathered, Flightline earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in his six furlong debut here on April 24, a race he won by 13 ¼ lengths. Idle until Sept. 5, Sadler turned him loose in a six furlong allowance at Del Mar, a race he won by 12 ¾ lengths and in which he earned an astronomical 114 Beyer.

In what is no doubt a resounding endorsement, Flavien Prat, Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Riding champ three out of the past five years, has opted to stick with Flightline over both Dr. Schivel and Triple Tap. Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Summer Wind Equine, LLC, Siena Racing, LLC and Woodford Racing, LLC, Flightline, who was bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine and fetched $1 million as a Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling in 2019, will no doubt be the focus of the racing world on Sunday.

A winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in his fourth start at age two, Dr. Schivel entered the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 on the heels of a pair of graded stakes wins going six furlongs—the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 31 and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 2, a race he dominated by 3 ¼ lengths.

Off at 4-1 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint with Prat aboard, Dr. Schivel got a perfect stalking trip from his outside post, took command a furlong out and in a desperate finish, was nailed on the money by longshot Aloha West, only to be back in front on the gallop-out past the wire. With Prat, who had been a perfect four for four on Dr. Schivel, opting to ride Flightline, Juan Hernandez, who guided the son of Violence to a 5 ¾ length maiden win in his third career start on Aug. 8, 2020, has the call.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dr. Schivel, who earned a 100 Beyer in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, is well seasoned, with an overall mark of 8-5-2-1 and earnings of $876,000.

A winner of a record four Malibu Stakes, Bob Baffert will send out Triple Tap. The colt will no doubt command considerable respect and be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, who has committed to ride full-time at Santa Anita this winter. Owned by his breeders, Summer Wind Equine, Triple Tap, like Flightline, was an impressive first-out maiden winner who was then idle for several months prior to making his second start.

A 4 ¼ length maiden winner going seven furlongs at 1-5 on March 13, Triple Tap came back running on Nov. 5, taking a six furlong allowance by 2 ¼ lengths while earning a 97 Beyer as the 9-5 favorite. By Tapit out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma, Triple Tap appears primed for a top effort.

THE RUNHAPPY MALIBU WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Baby Yoda—Jose Ortiz—120
Timeless Bounty—Umberto Rispoli—120
Stilleto Boy—Kent Desormeaux—120
Dr. Schivel—Juan Hernandez—124
Flightline—Flavien Prat—120
Team Merchants—Mario Gutierrez—120
Triple Tap—John Velazquez–120

The Runhappy Malibu, to be run for the 75th time, is one of six graded stakes on Opening Day. Special early first post time is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

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‘Pharoah’ Half Brother Impressive in Return at Del Mar

1st-Del Mar, $102,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($40,000), 11-5, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:08.44, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
TRIPLE TAP (c, 3, Tapit–Littleprincessemma {Broodmare Of The Year}, by Yankee Gentleman), an impressive TDN Rising Star-earning winner of his debut at Santa Anita in Mar. 13, marked his return to the races in style Friday afternoon, coming from well off the pace to win in the first race at Del Mar. Settled near the back of the field early as the pacesetters exchanged blows up front through :21.64 and :43.73, the 9-5 favorite swung out several paths wide turning for home. Remaining on the wrong lead in early stretch, the half-brother to Grand Slam champion American Pharoah finally made the switch, quickly shot into contention and flew by Sumo (Not This Time) late to score by 2 1/2 lengths. In addition to Horse of the Year American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) (Ch. 3-year-old Colt, Triple Crown, Ch. 2-year-old Colt, MGISW, $8,650,300), the chestnut is also a full-brother to GISW Chasing Yesterday ($488,650) and a half to GISP American Cleopatra (Pioneerof the Nile). The 2015 Broodmare of the Year Litteprincessemma was purchased by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind for $2.1 million carrying the subsequently Group 3-placed St Patricks Day (Pioneerof the Nile) at Fasig-Tipton November in 2014. She is also responsible for an unraced juvenile filly by Tapit named Lasting Tribute followed by a filly and colt by the Gainesway sire the last two seasons. She was bred back to Tapit. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $96,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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Here We Go Again: Can Anyone Beat Baffert in the Derby?

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley

The year changes and so do the names of the horses. But the story remains the same. It's no longer about beating a particular horse in the GI Kentucky Derby, it's about trying to beat the stable that has an unprecedented hammerlock on the race. Can anyone beat Bob Baffert?

After this weekend's results, it's looking more and more like that is going to be hard to do. Baffert already had the early favorite for the Derby in the ultra-talented Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who was bet down to a ridiculously low 2-1 in the Derby Future Wager. His win in the GII San Felipe S. had been the most impressive race run by a 3-year-old this year.

But now there is some competition. Concert Tour (Street Sense) ran away from seven rivals in the GII Rebel S. Saturday at Oaklawn, dominating quality horses like Caddo River (Hard Spun) and Keepmeinmind (Laoban). On paper, he looks a lot like Life Is Good. Both are unbeaten at 3-for-3, have won two stakes, and are coming off sizzling performances.

“From day one, we knew he was something special,” Baffert said of Concert Tour.

For good measure, Baffert finished second in the Rebel, a race he has won eight times since 2010, with Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile). About two and a half hours earlier, he unleashed another horse with monster potential. Triple Tap (Tapit), a half-brother to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), romped in a maiden race at Santa Anita and will, no doubt, be heard from again.

Not that any of this was any sport of surprise. What we have now is a trainer who is feasting off of his own success. As Baffert wins more and more races with top 3-year-olds, more and more owners flock to him. As more owners flock to him, the better his stable gets. Lather, rinse, repeat.

He trains for an All-Star team of owners-Godolphin, Coolmore, Gary and Mary West, Juddmonte, WinStar and China Horse Club, SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, Stonestreet, Zedan Racing Stables. His barn is stocked full of the best bred, most expensive horses in racing. No one else's compares.

“You can't do it unless you gets the results and I worked hard at it,” Baffert said. “It took me years and years to get here. My program is to get young horses and try to get to the Classics and Breeders' Cup races with them. I don't train a lot of horses. I like to keep it as a very elite stable. We want to be in all the big races, all the big shows.”

But he is not going to rest on any laurels. The 2020 race to the Kentucky Derby proved that just about everything has to go right to win the Derby. Baffert won split divisions of the GI Arkansas Derby with Nadal (Blame) and Charlatan (Speightstown), Neither one made it to the Derby. Instead, Baffert came to town with two horses. After Thousand Words fell in the paddock and had to be scratched, Baffert was left with one horse. It just happened to be Authentic (Into Mischief)

“Last year I was really strong, but found out how quickly things can fall apart,” Baffert said. “So I try not to get too far ahead of myself. I was strong when I had Real Quiet (Quiet American) and Indian Charlie (In Excess {Ire}) and when I had Point Given (Thunder Gulch) and Congaree (Arazi). But these two (Life Is Good and Concert Tour) are really strong.”

Baffert has five horses among the Top 20 on the Derby points list and all five could make the race. It looks like Triple Tap won't be there. It would be very hard for a horse to make the race after debuting in mid-March. Baffert's 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) didn't make his first start until Feb. 18, but that extra month made a world of difference as it allowed Baffert to get in preps in March and April.

“Triple Tap is a little late to the party,” he said. “It would be a little tough to make the Derby. We want to develop him the right way. If the Derby was in September again, like it was last year, we could do it. I'll have to see how he is in a couple of weeks, but I don't want to do anything rash with him. I can see him winning a Grade I stakes. He's that caliber of a horse. I just want him to develop the right way.”

Baffert said he'd like to get an allowance race into Triple Tap and, since he doesn't think such a race would fill in California, he may wind up running him next at Keeneland.

Baffert will be shooting for his seventh win in the Derby, which would move him past Ben Jones as the winningest trainer in the race's history.

“I don't think about that,” he said. “You just want to get there with a horse that has a good chance. When you go with a horse that you think has a chance to win, it's exciting. If you go with a horse who has no chance of winning it's not exciting. It might be exciting for the owner but not for me.”

At Churchill Downs, he will meet a lot of worthy opponents, a list that right now includes Essential Quality (Tapit) and Greatest Honour (Tapit). So the race isn't over. Far from it. But beating Baffert, never easy, has never looked more difficult.

A Stellar Apple Blossom

The other big winner over the weekend was GI Beholder Mile winner Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). She looked terrific making her 4-year-old debut, easily beating back the challenge of six others, including the Baffert-trained As Time Goes By (American Pharoah). Her win sets up the potential of Swiss Skydiver-Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) II in the GI Apple Blossom S. at Oaklawn. In their first meeting in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Swiss Skydiver lost all chance when stumbling at the start. She will be out for revenge. Monomoy Girl will be out to prove that no filly or mare can beat her. Could be some race.

Aqueduct Over the Years

Up until 1976, when the inner track was installed, Aqueduct would always open in mid-March after a winter hiatus and New York horseplayers flocked to the track for opening day. Fifty years ago, the opening day crowd, on a Monday, was 40,025. One of the big stories on the day was the increase in price for the Morning Telegraph, which preceded the Daily Racing Form. The price was hiked from 75 cents to $1. But the Aqueduct subway special was still going for $1.

Opening day was splashed all over the New York Times sports pages, which noted that Aqueduct had about twice as many fans as did a heavyweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden. Good Behaving won the featured Swift S, paying $11.80. Angel Cordero, Jr., still around as a jockey agent, rode the winner.

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Triple Tap, American Pharoah’s Half Brother, Wins Debut Impressively For Baffert

Can Bob Baffert do it again? High expectations naturally follow a man that has saddled six Kentucky Derby winners and two Triple Crown Champions. On Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., the white-haired wonder unveiled a 3-year-old half brother to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and the result certainly validated his post time odds of 1-5 as he accelerated impressively the final eighth of a mile to register a 4 ¼-length win while getting seven furlongs in 1:23.12.

By top sire Tapit out of Littleprincessemma, by Yankee Gentleman, Triple Tap was head and head with early leader Eyes Open around the turn and easily gained the advantage at the top of the stretch. With Prat employing just one backhanded tap of the stick to his right shoulder, Triple Tap appeared to level in the final furlong in an effort that evoked memories of Baffert's 2018 Triple Crown Champ, Justify, who made his rollicking seven furlong debut on Feb. 18, 2018 at the same distance.

Perhaps equally as important as the way he handled the seven furlongs, was the fact he galloped out far in front of the field, approximately 80 yards in front of his competition at the seven furlong pole.

“It went well and he rated kindly,” said Baffert. “When Prat asked him to go, he took off. He looked like he was in control of the race and Flavien worked him the other day for me and he really loved him. He usually doesn't say too much.

“When he came back, he said it was nothing for him, he was just getting going here in the end, so that's good sign.”

So, is the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby next on the agenda?

“It's going to be a little difficult, the thing is, we don't (want) to rush him, so we're not even thinking about that right now…I want to get this race out of the way and then we're gonna talk about it and figure out what we're gonna do.

“He won nice, it looks like he can go two turns easily, I just like what I saw today. I really didn't want to go seven eighths with him. The further the better with him…I gotta thank track management here for letting us run these great horses in short fields.”

Owned and bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine, Triple Tap paid $2.40 to win as his stablemate Barraza ran on for the place in a field of four sophomores.

“He broke well, we were right with the leader, which was good,” said Prat, fresh off of a remarkable six-win day on Friday. “It felt like he was just starting to stretch his legs and he galloped out strong.”

Fractions on the race were 23.31, 46.63 and 1:10.97.

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