Tapit's Conquest will scratch out of Lecomte, race in allowance

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed that Tapit’s Conquest will race in a Fair Grounds allowance event Saturday rather than in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes later in the card.

Cox texted Horse Racing Nation after “At the Races” radio host Steve Byk first reported the move. It followed the exit of favorite Banishing from the allowance race for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Lecomte.

Tapit’s Conquest was entered in both races, sitting at 7-2 on the morning line in the ninth race and 9-2 in the Lecomte. He will return Saturday for the first time since scoring a second-out maiden win Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs.

Cox trains both Tapit’s Conquest and the 5-2 Lecomte favorite Instant Coffee. The Lecomte awards Kentucky Derby 2023 points to its top five finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis.

Banishing was the 2-1 favorite in the allowance race. He “scraped up a hind leg” and has “a couple of little cuts” after an incident in his stall, trainer Brendan Walsh told HRN.

“It doesn’t look like it’s anything serious but we obviously can’t run him,” Walsh said. “He shouldn’t be off for very long at all.”

Byk also first reported Banishing’s exit Saturday morning. The Ghostzapper colt won on second asking Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds, drawing off by a commanding 8 1/2 lengths.