Tappan Street made an emphatic statement on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, securing his place in the 150th Kentucky Derby with a commanding 1 ¼-length victory in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1). Owned by WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc., and Cold Press Racing, the son of Into Mischief delivered a professional performance under jockey Luis Saez, solidifying himself as a major contender for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Skipping the Fountain of Youth Stakes in favor of an eight-week preparation, Tappan Street rewarded his connections’ patience with a powerful run. He broke sharply from the No. 9 post, settled into a prime stalking position behind the early leaders, and surged ahead in the stretch to secure his first graded stakes victory.
Trainer Brad Cox was thrilled with Tappan Street’s performance, emphasizing that the decision to give him extra time after his second-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes had paid off. “Anytime you have a young horse like this and you give them eight weeks between starts, it’s always a concern,” Cox said. “But this is a very smart horse. He’s intelligent. I thought he would break very, very well today the way he was training, and he did. That put him in the race and put him in a great position.”
Elliott Walden, President & CEO of WinStar Farm, echoed those sentiments, believing the colt has only begun to showcase his potential. “He really ran like we thought he would,” Walden said. “We’ve given him the time after the Holy Bull because we thought he was this type of horse, and it was nice for him to show up. He’s taken that step now, and I think he’s going to be a very live horse going into the Kentucky Derby.”
Jockey Luis Saez executed a flawless ride, guiding Tappan Street into a strong tactical position and unleashing his charge at the perfect moment. “Everything went to plan,” Saez said. “He broke from there pretty well. He was in good position. The whole way I had a lot of horse. We knew the speed was inside and we followed the speed. Everything came out perfect.”
Saez noted that Tappan Street’s versatility will be a key advantage in the Kentucky Derby. “I think the Kentucky Derby is going to be a perfect race for him because he can sit anywhere,” Saez added. “He can break and let the speed go, or he can be right there on the pace. It’s a good horse to be around. We had a good feeling about this horse from the first time I rode him. Today he proved he was a super horse.”
Despite a strong late charge from Sovereignty, Tappan Street’s superior positioning and decisive acceleration ensured he crossed the wire in front, stopping the clock at 1:49.27 for 1 1/8 miles. “He had a lot of confidence in him, and it all came together today,” Cox said of Saez’s ride.
The Florida Derby has historically been a key stepping stone to Triple Crown success, with past winners going on to claim the Kentucky Derby 25 times. Tappan Street now carries that legacy forward, with his connections hopeful he can etch his name into history under the Twin Spires.
“We have five weeks,” Cox said. “We have to make sure he comes out of it in good order, first and foremost. Our plan right now is Monday or Tuesday to ship him to Churchill. Hopefully, he comes out of it in good order and we can march forward. I think he’s going to get a tremendous amount out of this.”
With his dominant Florida Derby win, Tappan Street has established himself as a serious Kentucky Derby contender, and all eyes will be on him as he continues his quest for racing glory.
