Tapwrit Closes Out 2017 Triple Crown Trail With Belmont Score

By Margaret Ransom

Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta’s Tapwrit closed out the 2017 Triple Crown series in style, capturing the $1.5 million NYRABets Belmont Stakes (GI) by two lengths over a field of nine sophomores that mostly represented a group of what amounted to the last men standing after a grueling sophomore spring. The son of Tapit, who is trained by Todd Pletcher, was ridden to victory by jockey Jose Ortiz, who was aboard the gray colt in each of his previous four starts.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling that I can’t explain,” Ortiz said. “The distance, I was sure he could handle it. It was a great training job by Todd. I always liked him and we always had a lot of faith in him. Today he showed up. I’m very happy.”

At the public’s second choice at odds of more than 5-1, Tapwrit was good for… (more)

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