Correll’s Corner: Both Barrels Loaded

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

TRINITY, Fla. – Tapit Trice is for real and now Todd Pletcher has at least a double-barrel threat for the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The son of Tapit broke flat-footed in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and was dead last as the field hit the first turn at the track in Oldsmar, Fla.

Jockey Luis Saez let the colt gather himself and he closed the gap as they headed up the backstretch. Nearing the second turn, Tapit Trice started picking off rivals and was seven wide at the top of the stretch. Saez has the colt in high gear at the eighth-pole and the rest was history as they cruised to a two-length win in 1:43.37 for the mile-and-a-sixteenth race.

Pletcher said after the race: “ It took him a while to get on track but I was very impressed down the lane. He finished up the way we expected him to. He certainly seems like the farther he goes, the stronger he gets. He’s got a big, long stride. Once he got clear down the lane he really extended himself and I loved the way he finished up. He relished the two turns and the longer he goes, the better he’ll get.”

The trainer also heaped praise on the jockey, “Luis fits him well. He understands the way he needs to be ridden and he knows he’s not going to come out of the gate quickly. He gave him plenty of time to get going.”

As for the future, “I feel like he is still learning, though he got a good education today. But he’s a horse that I think still needs a little more racing experience to completely put everything together. If he trains accordingly, we’re going to take a strong look at the Blue Grass (Keeneland),”Pletcher said.

Forte (sire: Violence) showed no rust whatsoever in taking the Fountain of Youth after a four-month layoff since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile the first of November. He’s trained by Todd Pletcher.

Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) will either come back in the Arkansas Derby or the Santa Anita Derby after his impressive win in the Southwest Stakes (96 Beyer) at Oaklawn Park. He’s now in the care of Tim Yakteen.

Tapit Trice (Tapit) blitzed the field once he got his act together and he did it in a 12-horse field.

Instant Coffee (Bolt d’Oro) has won the Kentucky Jockey Club at Louisville and the Lecomte at Fairgrounds in New Orleans. He’s Brad Cox’s top runner.

Practical Move (Practical Joke) San Felipe win proves he’s legit.

Confidence Game (Candy Ride) earned his spot in the Kentucky Derby with his Rebel win.

Faustin (Curlin) ran second in the one-turn San Vicente to his speedster stablemate Havameltdown. Faustin is a two-turn colt and didn’t embarrass himself in the San Vicente.

Cave Rock (Arrogate) was flying high until he is for ran into Forte in the Juvenile. The colt had his first work of 2023 recently and clocked a snappy four furlongs in 47.80.

Reincarnate (Good Magic) won the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita and was third in the Rebel after some trouble in the stretch drive. He’s now running out of the Yakteen barn.

Litigate (Candy Ride) is trained by Pletcher and has room for improvement after his Sam F. Davis win.

Verifying (Justify) is one of the many colts Cox is training, but he was fourth in the Rebel.

Raise Cain (Violence) has the points but is he good enough? He’s trained by Ben Colebrook.

Others to keep an eye on: Victory Formation (Tapwrit) won the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn. He’s another Cox colt. Gun Pilot (had no place to run in the Rebel), Newgate, Red Route One (second in the Rebel), Two Phils, National Treasure, Geaux Rocket Ride (second in the San Felipe) and Angel of Empire.