Tapit Trice returns in Blame Stakes for first start in 9 months

Grade 1 winner Tapit Trice is set to make his first start in nine months as he tackles a talented field of older horses entered in Saturday’s fifth running of the Grade 3, $275,000 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs.

“Like many Tapits, I think he’ll only improve with age,” trainer Todd Pletcher’s local assistant Stu Hampton said. “We’ve seen him more focused in the mornings now as a 4-year-old and he’s been very sharp the last few days with the cooler weather. He’s done really well here at Churchill and we’re very happy with his preparation off the layoff.”

Tapit Trice, owned by Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable, was one of the top contenders on Kentucky Derby 149 following his gutsy victory in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. He would go on to finish seventh in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont Stakes. The Blame will be Tapit Trice’s first start since finishing third in the Travers (G1) in late August at Saratoga.

“I think we saw some of that improvement with age in the Travers when he added blinkers,” Hampton continued. “He ran a very credible race that day and since we got him back in the barn he’s continued to mentally move forward.”

Breaking just to the outside of Tapit Trice is his stablemate, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Pennsylvania Derby (G1) runner-up Dreamlike, who will make his second start of the year following a narrow runner-up effort to fellow Blame combatant Cagliostro in a first-level allowance race at Keeneland.

“He’s a horse that will sometimes save himself in the mornings during his works,” Hampton said. “However, last week we’ve seen him be more aggressive in his training and put in a really solid half-mile in preparation for this race.”

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Blame Stakes will go as Race 10 of 11 on Stephen Foster Preview Day with a post time of 5:27 p.m. EDT. First post is 12:45 p.m. EDT. Along with the Blame, the Saturday afternoon of racing will also feature the $275,000 Arlington (G3), $275,000 Regret (G3), $275,000 Shawnee (G3), $275,000 Aristides and $275,000 Audubon.