Tapit Trice wins the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland

by:Nick Roush•04/08/23•

RoushKSR

On the biggest race day of the year at Keeneland, the best horse prevailed in the Blue Grass Stakes. Tapit Trice was challenged early and often. Just when you thought the horse was done, it battled back again and again until the talented 3-year-old crossed the finish line first, just a neck head of Verifying.

Tapit Trice, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby, was the morning line favorite that went off at 8-5. Trained by Todd Pletcher and sired by Tapit, jockey Luis Saez made an early move on the far side of the track. It positioned the horse five-wide in the middle of the track, forcing Tapit Trice to go a long way to catch up with Verifying at the front of the pack.

Typically, horses only have one big move in them. Tapit Trice had one more on the other side of the far turn. The beautiful gray horse responded to the challenge by Verifying as the horses battled for the final furlong down the stretch at Keeneland.

It was a heck of a horse race. One worth watching one more time.

It was an exciting battle down the stretch between the two favorites in the Blue Grass Stakes (GI). In the end #1 TAPIT TRICE ($5.28) would get the better of Verifying. The 3yo son of Tapit was ridden by @luissaezpty and is trained by Todd Pletcher. pic.twitter.com/mBYYdM1mSZ
— TVG (@TVG) April 8, 2023

What It Means for the Kentucky Derby

The win by Tapit Trice gives the horse another 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, now third on the leaderboard behind Angel of Empire and another Pletcher horse, Forte. The Hall of Fame trainer is expected to have four entries in the run for the roses.

Verifying, the 2-1 second-choice trained by Brad Cox, will receive 50 points, enough to earn a starting spot in the field of 20 at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Chad Brown’s Blazing Sevens finished third, good enough to be considered for the Kentucky Derby.

A week ago I was unsure if Forte, the two-year-old champion, had any worthy competitors in this year’s field. Tapit Trice showed a lot of gumption in today’s victory. The horse has the pedigree and the connections to win the Kentucky Derby at a good price.

Meanwhile out on the west coast, Practical Move proved its a horse to be considered as the Kentucky Derby favorite. Tim Yakteen’s colt backed up a victory in the San Felipe by responding to multiple challengers in a 9-horse Santa Anita Derby Field. Practical Move won by a nose to add to its impressive 3-year-old resume.