Fifth within the Haskell Stakes (G1) final yr as a 3-year-old, Tapit Trice returned to the Jersey Shore greater and higher as a 4-year-old, thundering residence a 5 1/4-length winner of the $400,000 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) July 20.
The 1 1/8 mile Monmouth Cup was the launching pad for Tapit Trice’s 2024 marketing campaign, having been unraced since a third-place effort within the Travers Stakes (G1). A $1.3 million yearling owned in partnership by breeder Gainesway Farm and Whisper Hill Farm and educated by Todd Pletcher, the eleven-month layoff mattered to not Tapit Trice when the beginning gates opened.
“Once you trip for a coach (Todd Pletcher) you do not fear a couple of layoff or the rest,” mentioned jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. “If they convey a horse from a layoff to a stakes race it is as a result of they’re prepared. I all the time trip them like they’re able to go.
Racing within the clear in third place down the backstretch, Tapit Trice waited within the wings whereas pacesetters Counterspy and Floor to Air carved out splits of :24.14 and :49.15. Ortiz let loose a notch on the grey turning for residence, and clicking previous the six-furlong marker in 1:13.35, Tapit Trice took management with a quarter-mile left to run. The Tapit colt strided powerfully previous the Monmouth Park grandstand, stopping the timer in 1:50.46 over a quick important monitor.
“We’re very blissful. It has been just a little irritating with him,” mentioned Pletcher. “He gave him a while off after the (2023) Travers by design final yr and we had been hoping to get again Kentucky Derby week at Churchill however we had just a little setback. That delayed every thing. We’re blissful to get him again. He was in good type in the present day. That was an excellent efficiency.”
Favored Highland Falls was no match for the winner, and was second over frontrunning Counterspy in third.
Tapit Trice ($7.60) a grade 1 winner of final yr’s Blue Grass Stakes (G1), took his earnings to $1,453,650 along with his third graded lifetime rating.
Video: Monmouth Cup S. (G3)
Beaute Cachee’s Class Prevails in Matchmaker Stakes
Frankie Dettori’s internationally acclaimed driving expertise had been on full show within the Matchmaker Stakes (G3T), because the jockey guided grade 1 winner Beaute Cachee to victory in a front-running efficiency over the Monmouth Park turf.
Beaute Cachee wins the Matchmaker Stakes
Arduous-sent from the outer publish within the area of seven fillies and mares, Dettori and a prepared mount in Beaute Cachee traversed by means of leisurely early fractions of :25.16, :50.66, and 1:15.38. Rounding the bend with a lot left within the reserves, Beaute Cachee dueled a cussed Sacred Want down the lane to prevail by a neck on the wire.
The third alternative on the betting board behind her two stables, Delahaye and Maman Joon , Beaute Cachee ($11.20) accomplished the 1 1/8 miles on a agency turf course in a remaining time of 1:49.63.
Sacred Want was second, three-quarters of a size over Delahaye, who obtained up for third to provide coach Chad Brown a 1-3 end within the $300,000 Matchmaker. Beaute Cachee marked the coach’s unprecedented eighth win within the grade 3 contest.
Beaute Cachee, a 5-year-old daughter of Literato , is having fun with her finest season but for homeowners Louis Lazzinnaro, Madaket Stables, Michael J. Caruso, and Michael Dubb. The mare led at each pole to defeat the extremely touted Godolphin runner English Rose within the April 13 Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland in her first begin of the yr, setting the stage for an bold 2024 marketing campaign. She was victorious over the Monmouth turf final yr when touchdown the listed Violet Stakes.
Video: WinStar Matchmaker S. (G3T)
