Tapwrit Aims to Get Back on Track in Woodward Stakes

Testing his connections' patience has been one of Tapwrit's longest-running quirks.

As a baby, he caused his team to initially wonder whether they had dug too deep in going to $1.2 million to purchase his handsome self when he finished last in his debut. Even though the future classic winner got his ability on point shortly thereafter, he would still cause concerned parties to stress during the morning hours with his decidedly lackadaisical attitude toward training.

In this his 4-year-old season, the son of Tapit  has seemingly embraced maturity to where he is acting like a consummate professional during his workouts. He now regularly behaves like a horse sitting on a big effort. Only problem is, he is now running like a horse hell-bent on keeping his camp in a state of frustration.

"Last year he was no talk and all action. This year he's been all talk and relatively no action," said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which co-owns Tapwrit along with Robert LaPenta, Bridlewood Farm, Gainesway Stable, and Whisper Hill Farm. "It's strange, because he came back from his designed vacation and he's trained better than ever in the morning. And as a 2- and 3-year-old, he was a pretty blasé morning horse that really wouldn't wow you. He would show up in the afternoons.

"This year he's been the exact opposite, where he's trained better than ever and not really put his best foot forward quite yet on game day. We've not lost faith in him, but there is no doubt about it—all that matters is what happens out there on the playing field."

With the heavy hitters in the handicap division sitting out the Sept. 1 $750,000 Woodward Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Tapwrit has a prime opportunity to both look and act the part of the proven talent he is. The winner of the 2017 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) is one of three Todd Pletcher trainees entered in the field of 14 for the 1 1/8-mile test in the Spa's closing weekend.

When he ran down Irish War Cry in the Belmont Park stretch en route to a two-length win in the final leg of last year's Triple Crown, Tapwrit justified the massive expectations placed upon him since eliciting his seven-figure price out of The Saratoga Sale in 2015. Since that time, however, he has joined fellow 2017 classic winners Always Dreaming and Cloud Computing under the dark cloud of not having won a race since their respective triumphs during the five-week series last season.

A foot issue that arose following Tapwrit's fourth-place finish in last August's Travers Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) prompted his connections to put him on the sidelines for the rest of the season in hopes of capitalizing on the long-standing belief that his best days would come as an older horse. After finishing third in an allowance race at Belmont Park June 3, Tapwrit has been stuck in neutral—coming home fifth in the July 7 Suburban Stakes (G2) and spinning his wheels while running fourth over a sloppy (sealed) track in the Aug. 4 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Though the Whitney, which was substantially delayed due to a deluge of rain and lightning in the area, didn't present the ideal surface for Tapwrit to run over, the fact he has been beaten a combined 20 lengths in his last two outings speaks to greater concern. Those around him say he looks and acts as good or better than he did when he was winning the Belmont and Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) during his sophomore year. And with Whitney hero Diversify cooling his heels for the time being, Saturday's test represents a likely make-it-or-break-it spot to determine which path the gray colt goes down for the rest of 2018.

"There is no question there is no standout in the race. It's a good field, it's a deep field of good horses. But with that grade 1 hanging out there, it's important for like for a colt like Tapwrit who is a classic winner … it's important for him to come back at 4 and add another grade 1 to his résumé," Wellman said. "At this point, we're just taking it one race at a time and trying to put him in the best position to succeed.

"It's hard to manage a colt like him who is probably deserving of a confidence-builder, but at the same time there aren't that many options to turn to. He's indicated that he's well and in good form. This is the only goal we've got right now, and it's important for him to show up when it matters, right now. And we're just hoping he performs well enough on Saturday to warrant a discussion about which race options will be next."

One thing Tapwrit does have in his corner is the good vibrations of others close to him. LaPenta is a coming off a massive weekend in which Catholic Boy and Whitmore, both of whom he co-owns, captured the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and Forego Stakes (G1), respectively, Aug. 25.

"Between Mr. LaPenta winning the Travers and Gainesway winning the (grade 1) Alabama the week prior (as co-owner of Eskimo Kisses), we're surrounded by good company," Wellman laughed. "Hopefully some of their good mojo is going to rub off on the Tapwrit partnership as well."

Pletcher, who is seeking his fourth Woodward win, will saddle two other challengers in Rally Cry and Patch.

In his first start since running sixth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) in October, Rally Cry finished fourth in an optional-claiming allowance July 21 at Saratoga. Patch, third in last year's Belmont Stakes, will be aiming for his first stakes win and enters off a third-place finish to Kurilov and Realm in the Alydar Stakes Aug. 5.

"He trains exceptionally well. He's always been an impressive horse to watch train," Pletcher said of Rally Cry, who ran second in last year's Woodward. "Rather than put him in another allowance race, we'll see if he can somehow get the kind of trip he got in the Alydar last year, where he was very impressive. If he runs his 'A' race, we feel like he's capable."

Pletched added about Patch, "I think the mile and an eighth suits him well, and hopefully he's the type of horse who can benefit from a solid pace as well. He's not the most enthusiastic breeze horse, but he seems to show up at game time."

Multiple graded stakes winner and fan favorite Gunnevera will return to Saratoga for the first time since running second in last year's Travers. The son of Dialed In  is coming off a 6 1/2-length win against optional claimers Aug. 10 at Gulfstream Park in his first race since running eighth in the $10 million Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) March 31 at Meydan.

The Antonio Sano trainee will be running for the third time this year after starting his 4-year-old campaign third to Gun Runner  in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream. After suffering a foot injury in Dubai, the chestnut colt was given time off before his comeback three weeks ago. He will be running at the Spa for the third straight year after winning the 2016 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2).

Entries: Woodward S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, September 01, 2018, Race 11

• Grade I
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $750,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:47 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Yoshida (JPN)	Joel Rosario	122	William I. Mott	5/1
2	2Imperative (KY)	David Cohen	118	Anthony T. Quartarolo	30/1
3	3Patch (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	20/1
4	4Tapwrit (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Todd A. Pletcher	6/1
5	5Hence (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	120	Steven M. Asmussen	20/1
6	6Term of Art (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Brad H. Cox	30/1
7	7Kurilov (CHI)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Chad C. Brown	10/1
8	8Discreet Lover (FL)	Manuel Franco	120	Uriah St. Lewis	8/1
9	9Gunnevera (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	118	Antonio Sano	4/1
10	10Seeking the Soul (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Dallas Stewart	9/2
11	11Leofric (KY)	Kendrick Carmouche	120	Brad H. Cox	20/1
12	12Sunny Ridge (NJ)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Jason Servis	8/1
13	13Zanotti (KY)	Jose Lezcano	118	Juan Carlos Guerrero	20/1
14	14Rally Cry (KY)	Mike E. Smith	118	Todd A. Pletcher	20/1