$1.2 Million Gamble Pays Off As Tapwrit Captures Belmont Stakes

Horse racing is full of gamblers, from the bettors who play the races on the front side to the owners taking a chance on young bloodstock at the sales. Such was the case with Aron Wellman at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale when he came across a yearling son of Tapit. Wellman gathered his Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnership and hooked up with Bridlewood Farm and Robert LaPenta to secure the colt for $1.2 million, and nearly two years later Tapwrit rewarded Wellman’s faith with a two-length score in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Jockey Jose Ortiz earned his first Triple Crown victory aboard Tapwrit, guiding him from a stalking position in fourth to challenge Irish War Cry at the head of the lane. The Todd Pletcher trainee carried wide and then dove back toward his rival, but had enough left to pull away by two lengths as he crossed under the wire in front. Tapwrit covered 1 1/2 miles over the fast main track at Belmont Park in 2:30.02 to give his sire the winner of three of the last four runnings of the third jewel of the Triple Crown.

The post $1.2 Million Gamble Pays Off As Tapwrit Captures Belmont Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.