Tapwrit Tunes Up for Blue Grass Stakes

The high energy flaunted by Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Tapwrit in recent weeks was on display March 31, when the son of Tapit   tuned up for his expected start in the April 8 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland with a half-mile move at Palm Beach Downs.

Under the handling of jockey Jose Ortiz, Tapwrit worked in company and completed his four-furlong breeze in :48 4/5, his second move since rolling to a 4 1/2-length triumph in the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby. Trainer Todd Pletcher originally planned to wait until this week to put the gray colt back on the work tab following that impressive outing. Tapwrit, however, had his own schedule he was bent on sticking to.

WINCZE HUGHES: Tapwrit Shows His Class in Tampa Bay Derby

The $1.2 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale purchase bounced out of his first graded stakes score in such a manner that his connections realized keeping him on the ground for another handful of weeks would no longer be an option. After Tapwrit breezed an easy half in :49 1/5 March 25, the decision to run in the Blue Grass was also made for them.

"Todd was extremely pleased with how he breezed this morning, as was Jose Ortiz," said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which co-owns Tapwrit with Bridlewood Farm and Robert LaPenta. "He galloped out very energetically so, if all goes well, he will board a plane on Sunday to Lexington in preparation for the Blue Grass.

"When you're eight weeks out and you have 50 points, and you know you're qualified for the Kentucky Derby (Presented by Yum! Brands G1), the real tough decision becomes, do you run between the Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby or do you just train him up to the race? But within a week after the Tampa Bay Derby, Todd was already kind of warning us, 'Hey guys, I think we're going to seriously consider running this horse again.' (Tapwrit) is telling us that another race is the prudent path, and hopefully we're reading him right."

Aside from his debut, when he finished last in a field of 10 in a Sept. 3 maiden test going seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course, Tapwrit's progression has been void of bumps. After breaking his maiden at second asking at Gulfstream Park West in November, the son of grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie bested Master Plan—who went on to finish third in the March 25 UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2)—in an off-the-turf edition of the Pulpit Stakes in December to close out his juvenile campaign.

Though he didn't threaten McCraken when that one took the Feb. 11 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) in his seasonal bow, Tapwrit finished well to finish a clear second. With his rival sidelined for the Tampa Bay Derby, Tapwrit took full advantage, hitting the wire in a stakes-record time of 1:42.36 for 1 1/16 miles.

"We've been so fortunate that his schedule has worked out so smoothly to this point—touch wood—that there hasn't been any real major decisions that have needed to be made," Wellman said. "We all sort of thought going into this season, he was a fresh horse and we would take the Sam Davis as our initial stepping stone. He then sort of earned his right to go back to Tampa ... and he took another considerable step forward in his form on that day. We couldn't have asked for anything more."

Bred by My Meadowview, Tapwrit has won three of five starts for $313,902 in earnings and is currently third on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 54 points.

Wellman is hoping Tapwrit's Blue Grass outing is the beginning of what could be a monster couple of weeks for those carrying the Eclipse banner.

Their Illuminant, winner of the 2016 Gamely Stakes (G1T), has also been confirmed for a start in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland April 15.

Illuminant finished third behind champion Tepin in last year's Jenny Wiley prior to earning her top-level score in the 1 1/8-mile Gamely. Plagued by minor ailments after that, the daughter of Quality Road   didn't return to the races until March 10, when she flaunted her versatility in taking the Wishing Well Stakes going about 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill course at Santa Anita Park.

BALAN: Illuminant Takes Wishing Well, Jenny Wiley Next

"She is on target as of today, and Flavien Prat will come ride her," Wellman said. "We're thrilled to be targeting that race again this year, so we're hoping to win two big ones at Keeneland in the next few weeks."