Taipan Street
Seven years after experiencing the ultimate ride with the undefeated U.S. Triple Crown winner Justify, the partnership of WinStar Farm and China Horse Club are back on the USD5,000,000 Kentucky Derby trail with another live hand in Tappan Street.
Owned by the duo and Cold Press Racing, Tappan Street secured his berth in one of the sport’s truly great events after an electric change of gears allowed him to race away with the USD1,200,000 G1 Florida Derby.
The colt’s final time bettered that of another former WinStar Farm / China Horse Club / SF Bloodstock performer in Audible who carried the China Horse Club’s red and yellow silks to success in the 2018 G1 Florida Derby before running a game third in the Kentucky Derby behind Justify.
“He really ran like we thought he would,” WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden said of Tappan Street immediately after the win.
“We’ve given him the time after the Holy Bull, because we thought he was this type of horse, and it was nice for him to show up [in the Florida Derby]. He’s taken that step now and I think he’s going to be a very live horse going into the Kentucky Derby.”
Pre-race the Florida Derby was being billed as a race in three between Tappan Street, the Bob Baffert trained Madaket Road and Sovereignty who accounted for Tappan Street in the G3 Holy Bull Stakes at the same track the previous month.
Madaket Road set rapid fractionals from the jump, Tappan Street settled about four lengths back off him with Sovereignty further back again. Turning into the straight, Tappan Street had the measure of Madaket Road and Sovereign was looming to make his run. But it was the Brad Cox trainee who would be crowned, reversing the result of the Holy Bull and setting up a tantalising rematch at Churchill Downs on the 3rd May.
“We have five weeks,” Cox said in reference to the Kentucky Derby. “We have to make sure [Tappan Street’s] comes out of it in good order, first and foremost.
“Our plan right now is Monday or Tuesday to ship him to Churchill. Hopefully, he comes out of it in good order and we can march forward. I think he’s going to get a tremendous amount out of this. This is a step forward today. His numbers his first two starts were really good. I felt like the two-month lead up to the Florida Derby would propel him forward.”