Far Bridge, who captured last month’s Sword Dancer (G1) in surprise wire-to-wire fashion, reverted to his customary stalk-and-pounce tactics in Saturday’s $485,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Aqueduct and walked away with another top-level victory.
Third choice in a field of five under Joel Rosario, Far Bridge dove inside the two betting favorites, Silver Knott and War Like Goddess, approaching the eighth pole, and then dug in to deny the mare War Like Goddess her third consecutive win in the Turf Classic.
The winning margin was a half-length for Far Bridge, who covered 1 1/2 miles on ground labeled good in 2:32.22 and paid $7.90. War Like Goddess had 4 1/4 lengths on Silver Knott, while Emanuel was another 7 1/2 lengths back. Get Smokin trailed the field after leading through the opening mile.
Owned by LSU Stables, Far Bridge is trained by Christophe Clement, who said Far Bridge would now be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Del Mar. War Like Goddess will probably take a second crack at the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), which will be run over 1 3/8 miles this year. She finished third in the 2021 edition at Del Mar.
Far Bridge won his first two starts as a two-year-old for Clement, but was transferred to Todd Pletcher for his sophomore campaign. He captured the Belmont Derby (G1) and placed in the American Turf (G2), Pennine Ridge (G2), Saratoga Derby (G1), and Dueling Grounds Derby (G3).
Back with Clement this term, Far Bridge won an allowance in March before finishing fifth in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1), a dead-heat third in the Manhattan (G1), and ninth in the United Nations (G1) before commencing his current win streak. He’s now won six of 13 starts and more than $1.75 million.
Far Bridge is by 2007 turf male champion English Channel, who twice captured the Turf Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He was reared by Fitpitcher, a daughter of Kitten’s Joy.
Tapit Trice made up a notable deficit inside the final furlong to defeat odds-on favorite Skippylongstocking in the $372,000 Woodward (G2) over a muddy main track.
The third choice in a field of four, Tapit Trice had 3 1/2 lengths to make up on Skippylongstocking at the eighth pole and duly found his best stride late as the favorite began to shorten stride. Under Dylan Davis, Tapit Trice won by three parts of a length in a time of 1:50.09 for 1 1/8 miles.
Skippylongstocking finished 13 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Crupi, while pacesetter Masqueparade weakened to fourth.
Owned in partnership by Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable, Tapit Trice paid $6.80.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said Tapit Trice is now likely for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar in early November.
“We’ve always felt he was a Classic-type horse, so I’ll talk to the Whisper Hill team about it,” Pletcher said. “We were certainly going into this hoping to run a race that would earn his way in. It certainly looked like he did that today.”
Crupi, who Pletcher also trains, appeared not to handle the surface. He, too, might be Classic bound after winning the Suburban (G2) and placing in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), Brooklyn (G2), and Whitney (G1) earlier in the season.
This was the second win in three starts this season for Tapit Trice, who comfortably won the July 20 Monmouth Cup (G3) over Highland Falls, who reversed the form in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) when Tapit Trice could do no better than fourth.
At three last season, Tapit Trice captured the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and Blue Grass (G1). He placed in two of his remaining four starts, finishing third in the Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1).
Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway and sold for $1.3 million at Keeneland September, Tapit Trice has now won six of 12 starts and earned more than $1.7 million. He is by Tapit and out of the stakes-winning Danzatrice, a Dunkirk half-sister to 2018 juvenile filly champion Jaywalk.
