The journey to the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner’s circle often takes a trip around the Gulfstream Park oval in Hallandale Beach, Florida. No other race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby has produced more Derby winners than the Florida Derby (G1) and it is not uncommon for a horse that didn’t win the prestigious prep race to still go on and be victorious at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. On the last Saturday in March, Tappan Street brought himself to the forefront of the Derby Trail conversation and set himself up to follow in the hoof steps of Northern Dancer, Spectacular Bid, Thunder Gulch and 15 other Florida Derby (G1) winners.
Bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm and owned by WinStar Farm LLC, CHC, Inc. and Cold Press Racing, Tappan Street was sired by Into Mischief, the leading sire in North America by progeny earnings since 2019 and is out of Virginia Key (Distorted Humor), who is out of the Penn National heroine Our Khrysty (Newfoundland). This sparkling pedigree led to him being sold for exactly $1 million at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale in 2023. Under an ownership group consisting of one of the top farms in the country, he was sent to trainer Brad Cox.
Tappan Street began his career three days after Christmas last year, breaking his maiden by almost two lengths in a Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park. In the bay colt’s three-year-old debut, the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) also at Gulfstream Park, he finished second by one and three-fourths lengths. However, despite it ending in defeat, the effort was a very impressive one. He was over nine lengths ahead of third place finisher Burning Glory. The fact that he didn’t win, though, was a talking point leading into the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), as was Cox’s decision to skip the next race in Florida’s Derby Trail, the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), in favor of training up to the big dance.
On March 29, that decision paid off. Tappan Street left the gate in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) as the second choice in a field of 10 and stalked the pace while favored Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) victor Sovereignty sat in a closing position. As the field raced home, Tappan Street proved he should have been the favorite of the day instead by holding off a charge from Sovereignty to win the $1 million race by one and a quarter lengths. The win placed him in third on the Kentucky Derby (G1) points leaderboard and guaranteed him a spot in the gate on May 3.
“Everything went to plan,” said jockey Luis Saez after he guided Tappan Street to victory. “He broke from there pretty well. He was in a good position. The whole way I had a lot of horse. We knew the speed was inside and we followed the speed. Everything came out perfect.”
The day after the race, Cox told the Daily Racing Form, “I like what we’ve done with him. He’s getting better with every race, like we thought he would.” Despite the Kentucky Derby (G1) being an even bigger challenge, Cox is confident in his colt’s capability to continue improving. “He took another step forward yesterday, but I think he’s still got to take one more step forward (in the Derby). I really do think he can handle the mile and a quarter, and I’m excited about what lies ahead.”
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