In the days leading up to the 41st Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in California, usracing.com is publishing profiles of the horses in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday, Nov. 2. Profiles will be updated following the post-position draw on Monday, Oct. 28.
Tapit Trice, who won the 2023 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, comes in off a victory in the Woodward Stakes (G2) on Sept. 28. That in itself would make the gray son of Tapit worthy of a good hard look in the Classic, but he’ll be going in the 1 ¼-mile race in the shadow of his stablemate, the likely favorite Fierceness, who took last year’s Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
After a nearly year-long absence from the races, Tapit Trice launched his 4-year-old season by beating Highland Falls going 9 furlongs in the Monmouth Cup (G3) in July, followed by a fourth-place finish in the 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) behind Highland Falls and Pyrenees.
His final prep for the Classic came in the Woodward at Aqueduct when he overcame a lagging start to make a last-to-first move and beat favorite Skippylongstocking to the wire.
“We’ve always thought he was a Classic-type horse,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We [went into the Woodward hoping he] would earn his way in. It certainly looked like he did that.
“Our original plan was to go Jockey Club, maybe straight to the Breeders’ Cup, but after that we decided to go to the Woodward. Hopefully, it all works out.”
Betting advice: Live longshot. After winning four straight races at ages 2 and 3, Tapit Trice lost four straight, including a seventh-place finish in the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1). He was third in the Belmont and Travers. After the lengthy layoff, he appears to have returned, if not a different horse, certainly a more mature one.
Post Position: 10
Odds: 30-1
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owners: Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stables
Career record: 12-6-0-3
Career earnings: $1,733,650
Age: 4
Last race: Woodward (1st), Aqueduct, Sept. 28
Top Equibase speed figure: 110
Pedigree: Tapit-Danzatrice, by Dunkirk
Color: Gray
Running style: Close to the pace
Notes: While the majority of Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup contingent had completed their preparations by Oct. 25, Tapit Trice posted his final breeze Oct. 26, 4 furlongs in 49.21 seconds at Belmont Park’s training track. Tapit Trice’s name comes in part from his dam, Danzatrice, a graded stakes-placed mare who retired in 2017 after winning 10 of 15 starts … Trice, if you didn’t know, means “in a hurry” or “quickly.”
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
