Tapit Trice punches Derby ticket, Secret Oath wins at Oaklawn

Tapit Trice took a big step forward on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

The son of mega sire Tapit earned his third consecutive victory on Saturday, taking the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby with a strong stretch drive.  

After breaking slowly, Tapit Trice settled into last place into the first turn. His connections had to be concerned as the race progressed into the backstretch. Into the far turn, the eventual winner was very wide and well off the pace before uncorking a huge burst in the final stretch to surge to victory.

While there may be concern in some quarters over his reluctance to break from the gate, there also must be optimism because of the way the big gray colt finished and seemed to have more in the tank. This race was a mile and a sixteenth long, and his strong move in the stretch may indicate an ability to go the full mile and a quarter Derby distance.

With the win, Tapit Trice picks up fifty Derby qualifying points, guaranteeing him a spot in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses in May.

In other action, last year’s Kentucky Oaks winner, Secret Oath, made her return in style. The D. Wayne Lukas-trained filly kicked off her four-year-old campaign by taking the Grade II Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Secret Oath followed her patented and proven game plan, breaking smoothly, settling behind the pace, and then swinging wide in the stretch and out-finishing her rivals to win going away.  

In her return to action, the daughter of the late Arrogate defeated several quality horses, including multiple-time Grade I winners Clairiere, Interstatedaydream, and Hidden Connection.

The next stops on the road to the Kentucky Derby will take place in two weeks with the international UAE Derby, and then moves stateside with the Louisiana Derby (G2) at the Fair Grounds and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway.