Tapwrit opens 2018 campaign with solid effort at Belmont Park

Making his first start Sunday in nine months, Tapwrit showed signs of needing a race, but appears to have a nice future ahead.

The 2017 Belmont Stakes winner — he ran sixth in the Kentucky Derby — hit the lead at the top of the stretch, battled, but ultimately gave in to Timeline’s closing kick in Belmont Park’s eighth race, an allowance optional claiming event at 1 1/16 miles.

In a three-way photo for second, Hoffeinheim was awarded the place with Tapwrit third.

"He wasn't standing perfectly; he kind of broke out a little and recovered quickly," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "He put in a good, long-sustained run. I think he's come back in good shape, and this is the kind of race we were looking for to get the year started.

"I think he's much more mature, mentally and physically, than he's ever been. Obviously, he had a right to get tired the last part, not only with the layoff but also those fractions and carrying 124 pounds. Naturally, we wanted to win, but all things considered I thought it was a big effort, and, hopefully, a sign of big things to come this summer."

The son of Tapit, ridden by Jose Ortiz, took the widest trip in a field of six and pressed opening fractions of 23.21 and 45.93 seconds.

Sunday’s winner, Timeline, last year won the Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont.

"When I let him go, he gave me something, but he got a little tired in the final sixteenth," Ortiz said. "I think it was a great race for a comeback."

Pletcher indicated that the $700,000 Suburban Handicap (G2) on July 7 could be ahead for Tapwrit, who ran with an aluminum pad on his right-front foot. Issues with that hoof played a part in his lengthy break following a fourth-place effort in the 2017 Travers (G1).