Stellar Tap

A robust field of 13 line in Saturday's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup TVG Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 5. The sole black-type winner in the field is Phoenix Thoroughbred's Double Thunder (Super Saver), who comes into this off a narrow victory in Monmouth's one-mile Sapling S. Sept. 5. A confident 4 3/4-length winner second time out in Churchill's June 26 GIII Bashford Manor S., the Todd Pletcher trainee was a well-beaten fourth in the GII Saratoga Special S....

L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Stellar Tap (Tapit) wowed spectators with a TDN Rising Star-worthy performance at Saratoga Aug. 7 and will try to prove that it wasn't a fluke in Saturday's GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Downs. Out of a half-sister to GISW Nereid (Rock Hard Ten), the $250,000 KEESEP graduate showed early speed for trainer Steve Asmussen navigating seven furlongs in his debut and turned on all boosters late, drawing away to score by 5 1/4 lengths over Keepcalmcarryon (Union Rags), who won at that venue...

On his drive from Saratoga to Kentucky Downs Tuesday, Steve Asmussen stopped in every state he drove through and bought lottery tickets. Shocking that he didn't win. Coming off one of the greatest week-and-a-half stretches in racing history, during which he won five Grade I races in Saratoga over nine days, Asmussen was this week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the TDN Writer's Room, presented by Keeneland. If that wasn't enough, two of his wins, Gunite in the GI Hopeful S. and Echo Zulu in the GI Spinaway...

In an effort befitting the record-setting 9,446th training victory in the Hall of Fame career of Steve Asmussen, L & N Racing & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Stellar Tap (Tapit) cruised through the Saratoga stretch to earn the 'TDN Rising Star' distinction on the GI Whitney S. undercard at Saratoga. The 11-2 chance, wearing the silks of longtime Asmussen client Winchell Thoroughbreds and campaigned in partnership with another loyal owner, L & N Racing, jumped straight into the bridle and argued the pace outside of 6-5 chalk Brigadier General (Street Sense)....

Steve Asmussen entered Saturday with 13 chances to pass Dale Baird to become the winningest North American trainer of all time. He needed just one. With his first starter on the day, Asmussen moved into sole possession of first place with a win from first-time-starter Stellar Tap (Tapit) in the fifth race at Saratoga, a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds. It was the 9,446th win in a career that began quietly in 1986 at Ruidoso Downs in a race worth $2,600. The win came for Winchell Thoroughbreds, who owns...