By Ben Massam
Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby was expected to be McCraken (Ghostzapper)'s next step towards the Run for the Roses, but instead the race takes on a decidedly wide open feel after the GI Kentucky Derby favorite was kept out of the entry box with a mild ankle strain. In the absence of a clear headliner in the race, attention turns to trainer Todd Pletcher and 3-1 morning line favorite Tapwrit (Tapit), recently a rallying second behind McCraken in the Feb. 11 GIII Sam F. Davis S. Purchased for $1.2 million as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, the gray has shown tangible improvement in each of his four starts, including a victory in Gulfstream's Dec. 10 off-the-turf Pulpit S. The progressive colt, carrying the colors of Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta, could secure an ideal spot getting first run at a contentious early pace Saturday.
“Tapwrit has done very well physically since the Sam Davis,” Pletcher told the Tampa Bay notes team. “For him, I think the most important thing he got from that race was the experience and education. He got hemmed up inside and had to wait for room, but when he got clear he closed well and galloped out strongly. I think he and Jose both learned enough to hopefully bring forth an improved effort.”
Stablemate Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor) could help ensure a fast tempo, stretching out from a pace-pressing third-place finish in the seven-furlong GII Swale S. Feb. 4. The consistent bay is somewhat of an atypical Pletcher trainee, having raced eight times since his July debut without any significant period of freshening. Pletcher has won three out of the last four editions of the Tampa Bay Derby, including last year's renewal with eventual GI Belmont S. runner-up Destin (Giant's Causeway).
“He gives a big effort every time and he seems to thrive off the action,” Pletcher commented.
Lee Lewis and Mark Grier's Beasley (Shackleford) was entered in last Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S., but scratched in favor of this spot following the announcement that McCraken would miss the race. The bay was recently a good second behind highly regarded 'TDN Rising Star' Battalion Runner (Unbridled's Song) in a Feb. 3 optional claimer at Gulfstream, and trainer Mark Hennig has noted that his charge has room for improvement with the benefit of two-turn experience under his belt.
Lael Stables' No Dozing (Union Rags)–the only Derby entrant stabled on the Tampa backside–enters as a mystery horse by virtue of a surprisingly ineffective sixth-place effort in the Sam F. Davis. The Arnaud Delacour trainee endured some troubled trips when fourth in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and second in the GII Remsen S. as a juvenile, but failed to get involved when beaten 10 1/2 lengths by McCraken in his 3-year-old debut.
The Money Monster (Majestic Warrior) is one of five horses stretching out from a sprint in their previous start. The undefeated colt was acquired privately by R A Hill Stable and BlackRidge Stable and transferred to the care of Hall of Famer Bill Mott following a stalk-and-pounce victory in the seven-furlong Pasco S. in Oldsmar Jan. 21.
State of Honor (To Honor and Serve) and Wild Shot (Trappe Shot), third and fourth, respectively, behind McCraken in the Sam F. Davis, also figure to inject some early speed into this test. Rail-drawn Charles Fipke homebred Tale of Silence (Tale of the Cat) looms as an intriguing longshot should there be a meltdown up front.
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