By Christie DeBernardis
With Hidden Scroll (Hard Spun) officially off the GI Kentucky Derby trail after a disappointing sixth in the GI Florida Derby last weekend, it is now up to Tacitus (Tapit) to keep owner/breeder Juddmonte Farms' Derby dreams alive in Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. The son of champion Close Hatches (First Defence) is already a winner at the Big A, having earned his diploma at second asking here Nov. 10 and kicked off this term on a high note with a victory over Outshine (Malibu Moon) in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 9. His Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott expressed confidence in the gray's ability to repeat that effort in New York during an interview with the TDN last week (click here).
“He should do his best running in that last half-mile,” said Juddmonte's Garret O'Rourke told the NYRA notes team. “With some luck we'll have some speed that will clear up and we'll leave the rest in Jose's [Ortiz's] capable hands.”
Tax (Arch) proved well worth the $50,000 his connections gave him for out of a winning effort in his second start at Keeneland Oct. 21. Third in the GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct Dec. 1, the dark bay came back to best the re-opposing Not That Brady (Big Brown) by a head in a blanket finish in the nine-panel
GIII Withers S. in Ozone Park last time Feb. 2. Not That Brady, winner of the Damon Runyon S. on New Year's Eve, was pulled up when last seen in the Mar. 9 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct.
“I hope he breaks good and puts himself in good position early,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said about Not That Brady in the NYRA notes. “I'd like to use his speed and hopefully he can put himself with the leaders. If he can be on the lead, that would be better.”
Gotham winner Haikal (Daaher) also returns in this spot for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Graduating at second asking at the Big A Dec. 15, the Shadwell Stable homebred captured the local Jimmy Winkfield S. Feb. 9 and made a dramatic late run from well back to take the one-mile Gotham last time.
Hoffa's Union (Union Rags) could prove to be any kind as he steps up to the big leagues here. He made a mockery of a Laurel maiden special weight in his Feb. 28 career bow, trouncing the field by 15 1/2 lengths for trainer Gary Capuano and owners Non Stop Stable, Rose Petal Stable and Foard Wilgis. That effort caught the eye of many and he was privately purchased by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Christopher Dunn and Harry Loso, with Wilgis staying in for piece, and was transferred to Mark Casse.
“I don't know that we have to be on the lead, but we'll try to be forwardly placed,” Casse said. “We have a good post position. It looks like there's a fair amount of speed in there. We have a horse that's raced one time and he went to the lead and improved his position. I don't think that scenario will arise on Saturday. The pace will be fairly quick and in order for him to be effective, he'll have to rate a little bit.”
Trainer Jason Servis proved he cannot be overlooked, even with a runner making a big class hike, after capturing the GI Florida Derby last Saturday with Maximum Security (New Year's Day). He sends out another Gary and Mary West runner here in Final Jeopardy (Street Sense), who has won two of three starts, including a one-mile Gulfstream optional claimer last time Mar. 3. The bay split those two wins with a third in the Limehouse S. in Hallandale Jan. 5.
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