tappan avenueFinal seen upsetting Sovereignty within the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on March 29, he returned to the Gulfstream Winner’s Circle on Friday with a “workmanlike” victory within the one-mile elective declare allowance characteristic race.
“It was nice to have that man behind us. It was nice to have him again.” Mr. Elliott Walden, Co-Proprietor, President, CEO and Racing Supervisor of WinStar Farms. “He is an enormous, sturdy horse and that is what we wanted. It labored out nicely.”
Click on right here for Gulfstream Park entries and outcomes.
Profitable the spotlight of Race 7 by a large margin, Tappan Road took an enormous step in the direction of a attainable entry within the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) to be held at Gulfstream Park on January twenty fourth.
“We’ll get him again to the highest degree. We’ll watch Pegasus and see how he does,” Walden stated. “The timing of this was to try it and see what it was like.”
The three-year-old son of Into Mischief, skilled by Brad Cox, has been out of motion since sustaining a condylar fracture in his proper entrance leg whereas coaching at Churchill Downs for the Might 3 Kentucky Derby, which was gained by Sovereignty. Tappan Road has breezed into Cox’s winter base at Payson Park seven instances since Nov. 1 after two stints at Keeneland in preparation for his fourth profession return.
“It was an excellent effort, workmanlike, nevertheless it was what we anticipated once we noticed him within the first three runs. He would not all the time run to the highest of the lane and win below hammerlocks and issues like that,” Cox stated. “He is an excellent horse and I assumed it was an excellent comeback. He isn’t a second-place horse, which is what he deserves, and after a protracted break we felt it was the best alternative for him at this stage of his profession. I am pleased along with his efficiency.”
1-9 favourite Tappan Road made a cautious break below Irad Ortiz Jr., hotly following the pacesetter’s steps alongside the backstretch within the first half-mile of the one-turn mile return race on the edges of 23.56 seconds and 46.55 seconds. The steps continued to level the best way across the flip and into the stretch with Tappan Road looming over my shoulder. The Florida Derby hero had jockey Miguel Vazquez drop his whip mid-step, however he responded to Ortiz’s push within the straight line and dominated the step. Flying Liam completed third, 1 1/4 lengths forward of Junior Alvarado. Skilled by Bobby DiBona, Steppe was pulled up in the course of the gallop, loaded right into a van and returned to the barn space.
Tappan Road ran the mile in 1:36.22, beating out 5 rivals.
“He gave in nicely. After that, he made every part simple for me. After that, I simply let him do it,” Ortiz stated after using Tappan Road for the primary time. “As soon as I began engaged on him, he got here all the best way, in order that was good.”
Tappan Road ran thrice at Gulfstream in the course of the 2024-25 championship meet. He made his debut on Dec. 28 in a seven-furlong maiden particular weight race, getting back from simply off the tempo to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The horse, bought for $1 million on the 2023 Fasig-Tipton New York-Saratoga Choose Yearling Sale, made his stakes debut in his subsequent run, ending second within the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G2), sweeping three lengths in a straight line to take the lead earlier than being reversed by Burnham Sq. by 1 3/4 lengths. Tappan Road earned all his cash within the Florida Derby, defeating the favourite Sovereignty by 1 1/4 lengths within the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prelude.
“He was undoubtedly able to go right now,” Cox stated. “He walked from the barn space to the paddock and was in management. You could possibly undoubtedly see he had a aggressive face right now.”
