Untapable heads Phipps; 12 set for contentious Acorn

Untapable will be odds-on following her convincing Apple Blossom score  (Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography)

Champion three-year-old filly Untapable (Tapit) has been installed as the 2-5
morning line favorite against five challengers in Saturday’s $1 million
Ogden
Phipps, the first of five Grade 1 events on the Belmont Stakes undercard.
Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), the four-year-old filly exits a 2
1/2-length score in the April 10 Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park. John
Velazquez retains the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The Phipps marks her second start at Belmont Park, with Untapable rolling to
a 9 1/4-length decision in last year’s Mother Goose (G1), and the classy bay
miss will seek her sixth Grade 1 tally. She’s captured three of her last four
starts, the lone setback being a close second in the Azeri (G2) two back, and
Untapable is a six-time winner at the 1 1/16-mile distance.

Wedding Toast (Street Sense) is the main rival following a four-length
victory in the May 9 Ruffian (G2) at Belmont Park. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained
mare netted a 103 BRIS Speed rating last time, her second century-topping figure
in her last three starts, and possesses a sterling 4-3-1-0 mark on Belmont’s
main track. Regular rider Jose Lezcano has the call.

Promise Me Silver is perfect from eight starts (Jamie Newell/Horsephotos.com)

The $750,000
Acorn (G1) shapes up to be an outstanding betting race with a deep field of
12 three-year-old fillies entered. Promise Me Silver (Silver City) enters the
one-mile event perfect from eight starts, rolling to a comfortable 1 1/4-length
decision in the May 1 Eight Belles (G3) at Churchill Downs last time, but the
Bret Calhoun-trained filly didn’t receive much respect from the Belmont oddsmaker, being installed as the 5-1 third choice.

The Texas-bred Promise Me Silver takes her track with her, recording wins at
six different venues, but the Acorn marks her first attempt past seven furlongs.
Mike Smith picks up the mount on the classy gray filly.

Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up Shook Up (Tapit) is the early 7-2 favorite.
Robby Albarado, who was up on Promise Me Silver last time, will stick with the
Asmussen trainee. Multiple Grade 2 winner Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful) is the
4-1 second choice on the morning line. A winner of five of seven lifetime
starts, the Rudy Rodriguez-trained Condo Commando faltered when stretching out
to nine furlongs in the Kentucky Oaks but the speedy miss should appreciate the
cut back in distance here.