Tapizar
finished fifth in his lone race at 1 1/8 miles, last year’s Robert Lewis
Stakes. The rousing, front-running winner of the Grade II San Fernando Stakes
at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 14 will try the nine-furlong distance again in next
Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Strub Stakes, and Team Asmussen is
confident the son of Tapit is up to the assignment.
“The
horse is doing good,” said Asmussen assistant Scott Blasi. “I
haven’t seen the PP’s (past performances of the Strub), but he’s
a free-running horse and (Corey) Nakatani did a great job with him (in the San Fernando), so
we’ll see what happens.”
Balladry,
second by 3 ½ lengths to Tapizar in the San
Fernando, is set to take him on again in the Strub.
Joe Talamo retains the mount for trainer Eoin Harty.