Tapit's Ticonderoga Puts it all Together in Palm Beach

Ticonderoga | Lauren King

Ticonderoga made good on his “TDN Rising Star” moniker with his first graded victory in the Palm Beach. Running second last early, with just impressive maiden winner Snap Decision behind him, the $850,000 KEESEP buy was a bit keen, but maintained that position through opening splits of :23.34 and :47.58. Advancing up the inside entering the far turn, the bay tipped out for a three-wide bid at the top of the lane and swept past the leaders in the final sixteenth to score.

“I'm so proud of him,” winning trainer Chad Brown commented. “He's kind of a quirky horse. He was tough to figure out. We've made some changes with equipment. I'm just proud of the horse. He's really matured mentally. It's the first time Joel [Rosario] has been on him. I gave him a little history about him and he executed it perfectly.”

As for future plans, Brown said. “I'd like to try to stretch him out eventually. We might take him to Keeneland for the [GIII] Transylvania [S. Apr. 7], but ultimately the [GI] Belmont Derby [July 8], if he can go a mile and a quarter, that's what we want to do.”

A head second behind subsequent GII Summer S. winner Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday) in his Aug. 13 unveiling at Saratoga, Ticonderoga earned his diploma next out with an impressive success at Belmont Sept. 10. Second as the chalk after a slow start in Keeneland's GIII Bourbon S. Oct. 9, he came running late from well back to finish fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 4.

Pedigree Notes:

The winner is the first foal to race out of five-time graded stakes winner and Grade I-placed millionaire Keertana, who summoned $1-million from Denali Stud, acting as agent for breeder Bryant Prentice, at the 2013 Keeneland January sale. The 11-year-old mare has since produced a 2-year-old Tapit filly; a yearling colt by Kitten's Joy; and a War Front colt born Jan. 27 of this year. Out of the unraced Motokiks (Storm Cat), Keertana is a half to MGSW & GISP Snow Top Mountain (Najran), who sold for $950,000 in foal to Blame at the same sale. Glen Hill Farm campaigned another talented turfer out of Motokiks in ill-fated “TDN Rising Star” Diversy Harbor (Curlin), winner of the 2015 GII Buena Vista S. and runner-up in the 2014 GI American Oaks.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
PALM BEACH S.-GIII, $100,000, GP, 3-4, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.38, fm.
1–#@TICONDEROGA, 118, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Keertana (MGSW & MGISP, $1,031,938), by Johar
2nd Dam: Motokiks, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Matoki, by Hail to Reason
'TDN Rising Star' ($850,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Woodford Racing, LLC; B-Bryant
H. Prentice, III (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $59,520.
Lifetime Record: 5-2-2-0, $221,120. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”denali-raised-sold”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]
2–Kitten's Cat, 118, c, 3, Kitten's Joy–Brushwork, by Discreet
Cat. O/B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Joe Sharp.
$19,200.[bullet ad=”webb-carroll-another-wctc-grad”][bullet ad=”eqb-cardioclient”]
3–Snap Decision, 114, c, 3, Hard Spun–Salute, by Unbridled.
O/B-Phipps Stable (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $9,600.
Margins: 1, 1, NK. Odds: 2.50, 5.20, 2.90.
Also Ran: Sailing Home, Giant Payday, Adonis Creed, Cowboy Culture, Channel Maker, Pagliacci.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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