Belmont at Big A roundup: Tapit Trice splashes to Woodward win

Photo:

Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire

Tapit Trice splashed home to a three-quarter-length victory under a well-timed ride from Dylan Davis in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward, a 1 1/8-mile route for four 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Tapit Trice notched his second graded score of the year and rebounded from an even fourth last out in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Sept. 1 at Saratoga. The 4-year-old son of Tapit returned from an 11-month layoff in July to capture the Monmouth Cup (G3), adding to scores as a sophomore in the Blue Grass (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

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“It was a big run from him today,” Pletcher said. “I was hoping there would be an honest pace. I was a little bit concerned about that, looking at the race on paper. It seemed like it took him about 100 yards to get his legs under him, but then he got into a comfortable rhythm and really closed resolutely to get it done. He was determined today.”

Tapit Trice emerged a step slow from post 3 in the field as post-time favorite Skippylongstocking broke sharpest of all from the inside post under Manny Franco. The favorite’s advantage was short-lived as Kendrick Carmouche coaxed long shot Masqueparade from the outside post to take command entering the first turn, marking an opening quarter-mile in 23.36 seconds over the muddy and sealed footing.

Tapit Trice trailed in last behind stablemate Crupi as an eager Skippylongstocking settled behind Masqueparade, and the quartet raced in an even line up the backstretch. Masqueparade bounded through the half-mile in 47.05 seconds, and Davis made his move aboard Tapit Trice, sending him up the inside of Crupi as Irad Ortiz Jr. angled Crupi to the three path.

Skippylongstocking was given his cue midway through the final turn as Masqueparade tired to his inside, causing the progressing Tapit Trice to steady and for Davis to angle him out for his bid after three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.87.

Crupi put in a mild run widest of all at the top of the lane but already was in an all-out drive as Skippylongstocking was still well clear at the eighth pole. Despite the favorite seeming to draw off to a sure victory, Tapit Trice refused to yield and dug in with every stride to close the gap in the final eighth with the mile elapsed in 1:37.31. Leg-weary Skippylongstocking gave his all under left-handed encouragement from Franco but could not fend off the rush of Tapit Trice, who reached the wire first with a final time of 1:50.09.

It was 13 1/4 lengths back to Crupi in third with Masqueparade completing the order of finish. Kay Army was scratched.

Tapit Trice has made three outings at the 1 1/4-furlong distance, finishing third in last year’s Travers (G1) at the Spa in addition to his last-out fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and a rallying seventh in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Pletcher said it is likely he’ll make his next start at that distance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

“We’ve always felt he was a Classic-type horse, so I’ll talk to the Whisper Hill team about it,” Pletcher said. “We were certainly going into this hoping to run a race that would earn his way in. It certainly looked like he did that today.”