Tapwrit, a $1.2 million son of Tapit gave trainer Todd Pletcher his third Belmont Stakes when he won the 149th running of the US Triple Crown third leg in front of a crowd of 57729 at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Jose Ortiz and Tapwrit show the way
Jose Ortiz was riding his first winner of the big race as Tapwrit outlasted Irish War Cry, who finished second two lengths behind.
The one-eyed Patch finished third in the 2400m ‘Test of Champions’.
Tapwrit’s connections picked up $800,000 in prize money out of the $1.5 million purse. Irish War Cry earned $280,000, while Patch picked up $150,000.
Pletcher thus took two of the three 2017 Triple Crown races, having saddled Always Dreaming to victory in the Derby.
The first four finishers all followed a well-worn path: run in the Derby, skip the Preakness and come back fresh for the Belmont.
Interestingly, five of the last nine Belmont winners did just that.
Tapit’s son Coup De Grace stands at Klawervlei
Tapwrit finished sixth in the 20-horse Derby after encountering traffic in what Pletcher described as “a sneaky good” race.
“We felt like with the five weeks in between, and with the way this horse had trained, that he had a legitimate chance,” said Pletcher, who is based at Belmont Park. “I think that’s always an advantage.”
Tapqwrit is owned in partnesrhip by John and Leslie Malone, who race as Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta, who won the 2008 Belmont when 70-1 shot Da’Tara spoiled Big Brown’s Triple Crown bid.
Tapit is the sire of Coup De Grace, who took up stud duties at Klawervlei in 2016, with the stallion being owned by Klawervlei in partnership with Highlands, A Part Of Ridgemont, and Gainesway Farm.
