Tapit
Bandbox Wins at Laurel in Eye-Catching Rally
By Myra Lewyn,
Lightly regard Bandbox swept six-wide into the stretch and accelerated clear to an open-length win in the $250,000 General George Handicap (gr. III) (VIDEO) Feb. 17 at Laurel Park.
Dismissed at 13-1 odds, Bandbox completed an outstanding outside rally from off the pace when easily wresting the lead from runner-up Tenango with less than a three-sixteenths run and scooting to a four-length triumph under urging from Xavier Perez. The victory, his second start off a long layoff, marked his first in a graded stakes.
The 6-year-old is by Gainesway sire Tapit , who had another graded stakes winner Feb. 17 when classics hopeful Tapiture won the Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park in his 2014 debut.
With pacesetter Smash and Grab running out of steam in the stretch in the General George, Tenango launched a strong bid five-wide off the turn and bid for command between horses, but the winner was too strong.
"(Trainer Rodney Jenkins) told me this race could set up really well for us today and it turned out just like that," Perez said. "He (Bandbox) broke really well and I just kept him comfortable and kept him behind everyone as long as I could. I had so much horse underneath of me. When we got near the top of the stretch I swung him to the outside and he just dragged me to the front."
Service for Ten finished third, a half-length behind Tenango, in trying for a last-to-first rally. Palace, the even-money favorite, stalked the early pace from third and fourth but tired in mid-stretch and finished fourth.
After breaking from the seven hole in the eight-horse field, Bandbox was sixth with a quarter-mile left but responded willingly when set down for the drive. He was timed in 1:24.13 for seven furlongs on a fast track, improving his career line to 5-4-1 from 14 starts and $390,345 in earnings.
The gray/roan horse halted a six-race winless drought dating from his victory as a 3-year-old in the 2011 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel. He was a two-time stakes winner at age 2, winning the 2011 Charles Town Classic and the Sleepy Hollow Stakes for New York-breds.
Bandbox missed all of 2013 amidst 1 1/2 years on the sidelines. He went winless in 2012, though posting three runner-up finishes, including in the Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III) at Laurel. His comeback Jan. 30 at the track was a third-place finish in optional claiming company.
"This horse has had problems all of his life," Jenkins said. "He has run up on other horses and almost always had troubled trips and physical problems, like chipping his sesamoid and having suspensory problems, but the horse came into the race beautifully.
"I have always dreamed of winning this race and today our dream came true. We don't really have a plan for him after this race because our goal was to get the job done today."
Bandbox paid $28.20, $12.40, and $9.20 while keying a $160.40 exacta with Tenango, who returned $8.80 and $5.80. Service for Ten paid $3.60.
Broad Rule finished fifth, followed by Smash and Grab, Well Spelled, and Warrioroftheroses to complete the order of finish.
Javerre, based at Parx Racing, was denied a bid for a repeat win in the race when he was scratched. The Philadelphia track is under quarantine due to a suspected case of equine herpes.
Bandbox, who is owned by Hillwood Stable, paid $28.20, $12.40, and $9.20 while keying a $160.40 exacta with Tenango, who returned $8.80 and $5.80. Service for Ten paid $3.60.
Bandbox was bred by New Dawn Thoroughbreds and Aron Yagoda out of the unraced Grand Slam mare Empty the Bases. Hillwood Stable purchased him for $105,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale. Peacock Ridge consigned as agent.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/83399/bandbox-wins-at-laurel-in-eye-catching-rally#ixzz2td22u9DS
Tapiture Strides on in Southwest
By Claire Novak,
Ron Winchell's homebred Tapiture made his season debut a stirring one Feb. 17 when he galloped to victory over Strong Mandate in the $300,000 Southwest Stakes (gr. II) (VIDEO) at Oaklawn Park.
The Tapit colt was racing for the first time since his Nov. 30 triumph by 4 1/4 lengths in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) at Churchill Downs, and asserted his class by an identical margin over even-money favorite Strong Mandate, the 2013 Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner who was making his first start since a third-place finish in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).
"We thought this was a good starting point for him and hopefully we'll be able to stay in the series here," trainer Steve Asmussen remarked. "It was a big step forward for him. I was impressed with what he did. I saw some things we need to improve and he'll have to continue to improve with the races coming up. I think the series sets up really well for him."
Tapiture, who has never finished out of the money, improved his record to 2-1-2 from five starts and earnings of $320,838. He collected 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) to assume position atop the leaderboard with 22 points.
The chestnut runner also had 10 points from the Kentucky Jockey Club victory and 2 points from a third-place finish in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) back in September of his 2-year-old year.
Breaking from the rail and forwardly placed in a group eager to get to the lead, 5-1 Tapiture sat just off frontrunner Tanzanite Cat as the quarter went in :23.45. He was part of a trio across the track when Ride on Curlin moved up to join them up the backstretch, the half posted in :47.92.
Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. delivered a patient ride while keeping his mount in contention, allowing the colt's natural speed to move him to the front around the far turn for three-quarters in 1:13.06. Strong Mandate was launching a game bid after a slow start and wide trip under Joel Rosario, but had too much work to do to catch the eventual winner, who set down for the drive full of run.
Tapiture widened his advantage under a few stout cracks of the right-handed whip while drifting significantly through a 1:38.59 mile, and cruised under the line a dominant winner. Strong Mandate settled for second, while Ride on Curlin got up in a photo for third. Final time was 1:44.95 for the 1 1/16-mile event on a fast track.
"This horse was working really nice (leading into the Southwest)," Santana said. "I was so excited for this race. When we got to the straight, he showed all his class. He was really nice and was really relaxed today."
Rosario said Strong Mandate would have put up more of a fight if given a better trip.
"He broke a little slow," Rosario remarked. "In the first turn, I wanted to get into position, but I couldn't. I had to hold a bit because a few horses were bouncing in and out. He's the kind of horse you need to let run easy. He's a big horse and you want to let him do what he wants. Maybe next time we'll get a better trip."
According to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Strong Mandate will still be a candidate for Oaklawn's remaining prep races, the $600,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) on March 15 and the April 12 Arkansas Derby (gr. I).
"He ran well," Lukas said. "He didn't have the cleanest of trips. We had wanted to be more forwardly placed, but he got bumped leaving the gate and was actually wide the whole trip. The winner ran exceptional. We'll just go back to the barn and look at the Rebel Stakes (March 15)."
Trainer Billy Gowan also plans to target the next leg of the series with Ride on Curlin.
"He ran a heck of a race," Gowan said. "He was hung nine wide and he got a little bit tired. We'll be back for the Rebel."
Tapiture returned $13, $4.80, and $3.20 while Strong Mandate paid $3.40 and $2.60. Ride on Curlin brought $3.80, as Coastline, Tanzanite Cat, Bourbonize, Walt, Fire Starter, Son of Dixie, Paganol, Kendall's Boy, and Louies Flower completed the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky, Tapiture is out of the Olympio mare Free Spin, whose sire was bred by Ron Winchell's father, the late Verne Winchell. Olympio won the 1991 Arkansas Derby (then gr. II) for Verne Winchell when trained by Ron McAnally, and went on to ace the Minnesota Derby (gr. II), American Derby (gr. II), Hollywood Derby (gr. I) and Malibu Stakes (gr. II).
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/83401/tapiture-strides-on-in-southwest#ixzz2td934qrb
