By Jessica Martini
South Beach (Tapit), who topped the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale when selling for $1.8 million to Lane's End's Woodford Racing partnership and Bob LaPenta is approaching his first racetrack start after a pair of works at Fair Grounds this month for trainer Steve Asmussen.
The gray colt worked four furlongs at Fair Grounds in :51.20 (53/67) Nov. 17 and went five furlongs in 1:02.80 (4/11) Nov. 23.
“He just worked his first five furlongs,” LaPenta's racing manager John Panagot said in an e-mail. “It sounds like he is doing everything willingly.”
Bred by Sienna Farms, South Beach RNA'd for $1.2 million at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale before topping the Florida sale after working a furlong in :10 1/5.
The colt is out of the unraced Bethan (Giant's Causeway), a half-sister to Grade I winner Hard Spun (Danzig).
Of the 3-year-old's delayed debut, Panagot explained, “We had to stop on him a few times–nothing ever major–just an unfortunate number of minor things, including immaturity early on. Hopefully it's all behind him and we can get him started. He shouldn't be too far from a race.”
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