Three takeaways from Saturday’s Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland

Three takeaways from Tapit Trice’s exciting win over Verifying in the 99th running of the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland:

1. The Toddfather has a deep Derby bench

We already knew that trainer Todd Pletcher had the probable Kentucky Derby favorite, Forte, in his barn. We already knew that Pletcher had Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns in his barn. Now we know the 55-year-old Hall of Famer will be shooting for his third Derby win with a trio of top-shelf contenders.

Tapit Trice punched his Derby ticket Saturday, thanks to a nice tactical move by jockey Luis Saez, taking Tapit Trice to the outside, then gutting it out in the stretch to edge Verifying by a neck to take the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Derby prep.

Talk about a strong Derby hand.

“We’re blessed,” Pletcher said Saturday.

As for Tapit Trice, It was the fourth straight victory for the $1.3 million purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. After breaking his maiden on Dec. 17 at Aqueduct, Tapit Trice won an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 23 before capturing the Tampa Bay Derby by two lengths on March 11.

Earning 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the win, Tapit Trice shouldn’t be in the shadow of his stablemates come Derby week.

“I think he’s improving all the time,” Pletcher said of the winner. “We always felt like more distance, he was going to be well-suited for that. We were happy to get him out to a mile-and-an-eighth and today, and I think a mile-and-a-quarter is going to be better for him.”

Pletcher won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with Super Saver and the 2017 edition with Always Dreaming. He’s hit the board just once since, however. This year, you have to like his chances.

2. Mandy Pope is cashing on a Kentucky Derby dream

Few people have reached as deeply into their pockets to buy Thoroughbred race horses as Amanda Pope. And now, along with partner Antony Beck of Gainesway Farm, the owner of Whisper Hill Farm in Citra, Fla., has a clear Kentucky Derby contender.

“It’s a dream come true but a very hard-earned dream,” Pope said Saturday after Tapit Trice’s Blue Grass victory.

In 2019, Pope purchased an American Pharoah filly for a record $8.2 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. (Unfortunately, America’s Joy suffered a fatal leg injury at Saratoga as a 3-year-old.) Last November, she paid $5 million for Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil at Fasig-Tipton’s night of star. She also spent $2.9 million on 2019 Frizette Stakes winner Wicked Whisper.

A son of Tapit out of the Dunkirk mare Danzatrice, Tapit Trice brought that $1.3 million purchase price at Keeneland in 2021.

Pope was in last year’s Kentucky Derby with Charge It, who was coming off a runner-up finish in the Florida Derby to White Abarrio. Also trained by Pletcher, Charge It went off at 16-1 and finished 17th in the 20-horse field, however.

“We did it last year and hopefully we’ll be able to do it again this year,” Pletcher said Saturday of bringing Pope back to Churchill Downs for Derby day. “She deserves all the success that she’s getting. She’s a big fan of the industry and she’s developed a great broodmare band a lot of quality horses.”

3. Verifying can be a Kentucky Derby factor

Saturday’s runner-up, the Brad Cox trained Verifying, ran a terrific race that could put him in a prime spot for May 6 at Churchill Downs. If he has enough points to earn a spot.

“I don’t know if he’s in the Derby or not with the point system,” Cox said afterward. “You got to have a lot of them right now.”

Verifying entered the Blue Grass with just 14 Derby qualifying points. His second-place finish gives him 54, which should be enough to put him in the starting gate. Emphasis on should.

If he makes the 20-horse cut, the son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify should be a factor. Saturday was his sixth career start, but he showed improvement off his fourth-place finish in the Rebel Stakes on Feb. 25 at Oaklawn Park.

“It’s all good. The horse ran well,” Cox said. “We’ll see how he comes out of it first and foremost. We’ll probably ship to Churchill on Monday. We’ll talk it over with the Coolmore group and they’re good with pursuing the Derby and he’s doing well we’ll pursue it.”

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