Gun Runner's half sister, Tap Gun, 'just starting to learn'

Following two off-the-board efforts over the main track, royally bred Tap Gun shipped to Arlington International Racecourse for her first career victory on Sunday afternoon.

Owned by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm and trained by Tom Amoss, the 3-year-old daughter of Tapit is a half-sister to 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner. So naturally, Amoss was anxious to get her a trip to the winner’s circle.

“We had been trying to find a distance race for maidens and there was nothing on the dirt – nothing was going,” Amoss said. “I gave Mandy a call and I said, ‘any reason you think she won’t like the Poly?’ She assured me that she had trained well over [training center] Goldmark Farm’s synthetic surface in Ocala.”

Amoss believes that Tap Gun could be a versatile filly from a surface standpoint but was unsure where she might race next.

“I don’t think she’s limited,” Amoss said. “A lot of people don’t realize that Mandy Pope is very involved in day-to-day operations so in deciding to run her, her input in telling me this horse would like the Polytack was important. We had a conversation after the race – she came out it in good shape, we’re going to readdress and decide (her next start) after she works next.

“She’s just starting to learn,” Amoss continued. “It wasn’t like we went to the Poly because we were looking for a different surface. Nothing was going at Ellis or Indiana so this was the next available option.”

Amoss has started at Arlington eight times this year having never finished worse than fourth and earning four victories in the process. He will saddle Distant Shore for the Churchill Downs Racing Club in Saturday’s $75,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity. Distant Shore is a 2-year-old son of Algorithms who won his career debut at Indiana Grand Race Course last time out by four lengths.

“The timing of the race is good – the horse is doing well,” Amoss said. “The only disappointing thing is that I’m making this group go on another road trip. He’s been very professional in everything we did with him before his initial race and he’s passed every lesson with flying colors.”