Tappan Street rallies boldly for Florida Derby; Five G wires Gulfstream Park Oaks

With only a pair of starts, Holy Bull (G3) runner-up Tappan Street was still a relatively unproven commodity entering Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. He stepped up impressively in the major Kentucky Derby (G1) test, offering a powerful turn of foot into contention on the far turn and driving to a clear lead in midstretch.

Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Sovereignty, the 1.70-1 favorite, rallied gamely from off the pace to reduce the final margin while never seriously challenging Tappan Street, who scored by 1 1/4 lengths. Off as the 2.40-1 second choice, Tappan Street finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.27.

By Into Mischief, Tappan Street will be a candidate to keep showing more in the Kentucky Derby for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Luis Saez, who will team up with Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite Good Cheer one day earlier at Churchill Downs. Tappan Street is campaigned by WinStar Farm, CHC, and Cold Press Racing, who purchased the bay colt for $1 million as a two-year-old in training.
 

His pedigree is geared toward longer distances. Bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm, Tappan Street out of the Grade 2-placed Virginia Key, a daughter of Distorted Humor, the sire of 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. Virginia Key is a half-sister Pyrenees, winner of the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special (G3) and second in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Cup (G1) last year.

Tappan Street broke alertly but settled into a stalking fourth, rating about a few lengths behind pacesetter Madaket Road, who reeled off opening splits in :23.37, :47.22, and 1:11.61 while being chased by Neoequos. He blew past that pair in the stretch, opening a decisive advantage inside the final furlong.

Sovereignty offered a good run for second, nearly three lengths better than Neoequos in third. Madaket Road held fourth, and it was a gap back to last-out maiden winner Disruptor, the 3.40-1 third choice, in fifth.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series event awarded points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five.

Jimmy’s Dailys, Indecisiveness, Cool Intentions, Smoken Boy, and Enterdadragon rounded out the order of finish.

Earlier on the program, Gatsas Stables’ homebred Five G flaunted her speed in the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), flashing forward at the break and comfortably leading wire to wire. After establishing opening splits in :23.63, :47.11, and 1:11.19 on a short lead, the George Weaver-trained filly spurted clear into the stretch, scoring easily by 2 1/4 lengths.

Manny Franco picked up the mount on the 1.30-1 favorite from Tyler Gaffalione, who broke his ankle in a riding mishap Wednesday, and Five G completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.22.

A romping winner of the one-mile Cash Run S. at Gulfstream two starts previously, Five G set the pace in the in the Feb. 23 Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn Park before giving way late, finishing a close second. The bay filly notched her first graded win Saturday while improving her record to 6-3-2-0, and Five G promises to be part of the pace in the Kentucky Oaks on May 2.

Five G earned a 100-point prize for winning the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Challenge series major qualifier, and Anna’s Promise is well-situated after finishing a clear second, receiving 50 points toward a Kentucky Oaks bid in her stakes debut.

Claimed for $50,000 from a maiden claiming win two back, Anna’s Promise left the starting gate at 8-1 following a one-length win in an entry-level allowance in early March. She tracked the pace in second throughout, winding up more than 10 lengths clear of late-running Cassiar in third. Whatintheliteral and Paradise City came next under the wire. The Queens M G, the 9-5 second choice in her first two-turn start, was pulled up in the stretch and transported off the track in the equine ambulance.

Named for owner/breeder Mike Gatsas’ five grandchildren, Five G is a Kentucky-bred daughter of last year’s leading freshman sire Vekoma, a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire who Gatsas also campaigned. Five G is the first stakes winner out of the Quality Road mare Triumphant.