Tapit Trice breezed four furlongs Saturday in :49.57 at Palm Beach Downs in his final workout for the $1-million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland next Saturday.
The Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner, who worked in company with stablemate Crupi, is expected to be one of two 3-year-old colts with victories at Tampa Bay Downs this winter to compete in the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 6 at Churchill Downs. The other is the unbeaten Kingsbarns (3-for-3), who followed an allowance/optional claiming victory here on Feb. 12 with a front-running score on March 25 in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.
Kingsbarns is expected to go to the Kentucky Derby off his Louisiana Derby triumph.
Both Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns are trained by Todd Pletcher, who said via text earlier today he plans to ship Tapit Trice to Kentucky on Monday.
The Hall of Fame conditioner is almost certain to have the Kentucky Derby favorite in Forte, last year's 2-year-old champion who overcame the No. 11 post position to win Saturday's Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode six winners on the 14-race Gulfstream Park card. Pletcher sent out four winners.
The Blue Grass is one of three Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled Saturday, along with the $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita and the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. All three races will be simulcast at Tampa Bay Downs.
Tapit Trice, who is owned by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm and Antony Beck's Gainesway Stable, has a 3-for-4 record and one third. Kingsbarns is owned by Spendthrift Farm.
Kentucky Derby candidates often show rapid development in the weeks leading to the race (some observers compare them to teenage athletes hitting a growth spurt), and it will be interesting to watch Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns attempt to move forward in the next 4-to-5 weeks. Although Forte is the top choice now, it's worth remembering that both of Pletcher's Kentucky Derby winners – Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017 – raced at Tampa Bay Downs.
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