February 13, 2025

Tapizar looks to keep momentum rolling in Lewis

Last updated: 2/9/11 5:59 PM








Tapizar has captured his
last two starts by a combined 14 3/4 lengths


 (Benoit Photos)

With a smashing 4 1/4-length victory in the January 15 Sham S. (G3),
TAPIZAR (Tapit) established himself as one of the leading
three-year-olds on the West Coast, and the Steve Asmussen trainee will take the next step toward the Kentucky Derby (G1) when he lines up
for Saturday’s $250,000

Robert B. Lewis S. (G2)
at Santa Anita. The striking bay colt should be an overwhelming
favorite in the 1 1/8-mile event with the expected defection of CashCall
Futurity (G1) hero COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie), who will instead
run in Saturday’s $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Golden Gate
Fields, according to trainer Peter Miller.

Tapizar, who broke his maiden by 10 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs
two starts back, registered a whopping 103 BRIS Speed rating while
leading wire to wire in the Sham, a number that towers over his six
probable rivals in the Lewis. The speedster will keep Garrett Gomez in
the saddle.




“I’m blessed to have him,” Asmussen said of Tapizar. “He’s a tremendously
talented horse.”

A prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 9, the Lewis is
also a qualifier for the inaugural Preakness 5.5 program. Saturday’s winner will
receive a $5.5 million bonus if he goes on to win both the Santa Anita Derby and
Preakness S. (G1).

Tapizar’s opponents include THIRTYFIRSTSTREET (Good Journey), who will try
open company for the first time following his victory in the opening-day
California Breeders’ Champion S. The Doug O’Neill-trained colt will be running
late under a returning Patrick Valenzuela. Sham third-placer ANTHONY’S CROSS
(Indian Charlie), who is also cross-entered to the El Camino Real Derby, is
eligible to show more in his second stakes attempt for Eoin Harty, and multiple
Grade 1-placed RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus) brings plenty of stakes
experience to the equation.







St Trinians capped a
four-race win streak last year with an impressive victory in the
Santa Maria

(Benoit Photos)

Eddie Logan runner-up TEN DEVILS (Rock Hard Ten) will go turf to dirt for
conditioner Richard Mandella, and last-out maiden winners WEGNER (Dynaformer)
and QUAIL HILL (Candy Ride [Arg]) complete the field.

Santa Anita will offer the $150,000
Santa
Maria S. (G2)
a couple of races after the Lewis, and an interesting field of
seven fillies and mares is set for the 1 1/16-mile event on the main track.
Defending champ ST TRINIANS (GB) (Piccolo) and Grade 1 winner MONA DE MOMMA
(Speightstown) will both make their first start back off a lengthy layoff.



St Trinians captured last year’s Santa Maria by a convincing 1 3/4-length
margin and was favored next time out over males in the Santa Anita H. (G1), but
the six-year-old mare found the 1 1/4-mile distance too taxing and checked in
sixth. She then threw a real scare into the mighty Zenyatta, falling a
half-length short in the Vanity H. (G1), but unfortunately headed to the
sidelines afterward. The Mike Mitchell trainee will return off a 244-day hiatus
Saturday and picks up a new rider in Joe Talamo.

Mona de Momma will bring a two-race winning streak into the Santa Maria, but
she hasn’t been seen under silks since capturing the seven-furlong Humana
Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The Bob Baffert-trained mare is
slated to make her two-turn debut under Alonso Quinonez.

Bayakoa (G2) heroine WASHINGTON BRIDGE (Yankee Gentleman) has never been
better, winning her last three starts for Jerry Hollendorfer, and will keep
Rafael Bejarano up. IT TIZ (Tiznow) exits a sharp score in the grassy Megahertz
S. for Mark Glatt, and the improving VISION IN GOLD (Medaglia d’Oro) is a
promising filly from the Ron McAnally shedrow. Grade 2 queen ZARDANA (Brz)
(Crimson Tide) and recent allowance winner MISS MATCH (Arg) (Indygo Shiner)
round out the line-up.