SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Tappan Street, who beat Sovereignty in the Grade 1 Florida Derby before an injury knocked him off the Triple Crown trail, is progressing toward a return to the races by the end of the year, according to Elliott Walden, president and CEO of WinStar Farm which co-owns the colt.
Tappan Street has been galloping at WinStar Farm for two weeks, and he could have his first breeze by the end of August or in early September. Walden said Tappan Street would have a few breezes at WinStar before shipping to trainer Brad Cox at Churchill Downs, likely in October.
Walden said, depending how things go, Tappan Street could be ready to race by the end of November or early December, with the potential first major target of 2026 being the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in late January or the Saudi Cup, typically run in late February.
Tappan Street, a son of Into Mischief, won his career debut on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream and finished second to Burnham Square in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 1 before beating Sovereignty by 1 1/4 lengths in the Florida Derby on March 29.
On April 26, in his final workout before a scheduled start in the Kentucky Derby, Tappan Street went five furlongs in 59.60 seconds but was immediately diagnosed with a condylar fracture. He underwent surgery the following day, during which he had two screws put in to stabilize the injury.
The following week, Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and then followed that with victories in the Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy. He was heavily favored to add the Travers to his record on Saturday.
Walden said he doesn’t think about what might have been.
“You don’t ever look back,” he said. “His form’s solid, his form’s really good. You could rate him the third- or fourth-best 3-year-old in the country off his form, maybe better next year you never know. He’s a very talented horse. We loved him going into the Derby, glad that he’s okay, glad that he’s coming back.”
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