Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred Tapiture (Tapit) headlines an intriguing field of seven in Oakawn Park's 1 1/16-mile GIII Razorback H. Winner of last term's GIII Southwest S., the Steve Asmussen pupil failed to fire in the GI Kentucky Derby, but enjoyed a successful second half of the season starting with a win in Churchill Downs's GIII Matt Winn S. June 14. A nose victor over GII Robert B. Lewis S. winner Candy Boy (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the 1 1/8-mile GII West Virginia Derby Aug. 2, the chestnut was a solid second behind GI Breeders' Cup Classic victor Bayern (Offlee Wild) in the GII Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 20. Tapiture was last seen completing the exacta behind the runaway Goldencents (Into Mischief) with a valiant effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Oct. 31.
Another entry off last year's Triple Crown trail is the hard knocking Ride on Curlin (Curlin), owned by Daniel Dougherty. One of just three sophomore to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown, the Billy Gowan trainee was off the board in the Derby, but finished second to Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the GI Preakness S. two weeks later. Pulled up in the GI Belmont S. June 7, the bay was shelved for the rest of the season and returned with a late running victory in a six-panel Oaklawn optional claimer Jan. 15. Second as the favorite to last year's Razorback winner Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro) in the track-and-trip Essex H. last time Feb. 14, the 4-year-old has never won going two turns, though he has hit the board several times.
Matthew Schera's $285,000 Keeneland November purchase Race Day (Tapit) takes another crack at black-type company for trainer Todd Pletcher. Winner of two of his first four starts for previous owner WinStar farm and trainer Kellyn Gorder, the gray romped by 8 1/2 lengths in his debut for the Pletcher barn in a Gulfstream optional claimer Dec. 21. The 4-year-old finished third as the chalk last out in that venue's one-mile GIII Fred W. Hooper H. Feb. 7.
Michael Langford's Carve (First Samurai) racked up three consecutive wins last summer before ending that streak with a second in the GIII Ack Ack H. Sept. 6. Off the board in both the Homecoming Classic Sept. 27 and the Dirt Mile Oct. 31, the dark bay returned to his winning ways in the track-and-trip Fifth Season S. Jan. 16.
Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Midnight Hawk (Midnight Lute) scratched out of his home state's GII San Carlos S. last week in order to take the trip to Hot Springs with champion stablemate American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) to compete in this spot. Owned by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Kitchen, Pegram, et al, last year's GIII Sham S. victory finished off last term with an optional claimer third on the Del Mar synthetic Nov. 30 and was a wide-trip ninth behind Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Malibu S. Dec. 26. The gray kicked off his 4-year-old season with a victory in a one-mile Arcadia optional claimer last time Feb. 6.
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