Unlike the past, Winter Memories had a clean trip and no wall of horses in front of her to conquer turning for home and looked poised and ready to unleash her usual late kick as the even-money favorite.
But the Dale Romans-trained Tapitsfly, who was on her game, set the pace early on from the gate and took charge through the stretch holding off Winter Memories for a 2¹/‚„-length victory in the one-mile, Grade 1 $500,000 Just a Game on the Widener turf. It was Winter Memories’ first defeat at Belmont.
”It was excellent. Looking on paper, there was no speed,” her jockey, Ramon Dominguez, said. “I was pretty happy when I got to the paddock and Dale said to me ‘Try to put her on the lead.’ It worked out beautifully. She relaxed for me. Turning for home, she gave a great kick. She was moving right along.”
Javier Castellano, who gave Winter Memories her cue to run at the quarter pole, said he was pleased with her performance.
“She was just second-best today, unfortunately. I’m not disappointed. We ran fast, and she finished very strong today.”
Tapitsfly, who paid $8.40 to win, won in good time, 1:32 1/5. The exacta returned $21.60.
aaffrunti@nypost.com
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