Tap the Gavel Race Overview

Tap the Gavel is headed back to Tampa Bay Downs tomorrow for his second start, after a very good second there to launch his career on November 27th. Running in the eighth race on the 10-race card, Tap the Gavel will break from the rail in the field of 10 newly turned 3-year-olds. Samy Camacho has the return ride for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in the one mile and 40-yard dirt race.

Post time is 3:55 p.m. ET

Tap the Gavel has been assigned odds of 7-2 and is the second choice on the morning line. His second-place finish on debut earned him a 71 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest in this field.

Mott remarked that if Tap the Gavel can replicate his debut speed figure, “I think we’ll be able to win with [a] number like that.”

The trainer also said this morning that he is not concerned with the inside post draw. “[Tap the Gavel] showed speed last time and he broke sharply, so as long as he does that again, we’ll have the shortest trip around,” he told our East Coast Racing Manager, Harry Rice.

You can listen to more commentary about tomorrow’s race from Mott in the attached video.

About the Competition in Post Position Order:

Azure Sky (20-1) was claimed for $25,000 in his last start. Stepping back into Maiden Special Weight company, Azure Sky will need to find form he has not shown before to improve his Beyer Speed Figures to be competitive in this spot.

Afjan (5-2) is the morning-line favorite from the Todd Pletcher barn. He finished sixth in his debut at Belmont Park back in September in a race, where only one horse has returned to break his maiden. The well-bred son of Uncle Mo should do better around two turns, but will need to prove a bit more to reach the winner’s circle tomorrow.

Robitaille (8-1) has run once when finishing 10th going two turns on the all-weather surface at Woodbine in November. He ran a decent 53 BSF, but showed no signs of finishing in the stretch. Trainer Mark Casse has done decently at Tampa over the past five years, winning at 18%.

Patagonian Empire (6-1) is making his career debut for trainer Ben Colebrook. Colebrook wins at just 8% with his first-time starters, but he did win with his only starter so far at the current meet. Patagonian Empire will likely need a race to round into his best form.

In the Union (4-1) is another Pletcher-trained runner. For a trainer that is consistent across the board winning at 23% over the past five years, Todd is only 11% with first-time starters going two turns during that time. In the Union is well bred and has put together a nice string of works, but it will be unlikely to see him reach the winner’s circle tomorrow.

Grey Charmer (8-1) is making his third career start and second at Tampa. He stretched out over the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park last out and didn’t seem to handle it too well. He returns to Tampa where he finished third on debut in a race going six furlongs on the dirt and if he returns to that form, he could pick up a piece of it.

Royal Court (12-1) has not had much go right in his first four career starts. Blinkers come off, he adds Lasix again, and has been gelded since his last start. He finished fourth behind Tap the Gavel last out, and seems to enjoy distances just over a mile. He’s put in a couple of nice works since that fourth-place finish.

Down to Bizzness (20-1) returns to Florida after a tough trip to Churchill Downs when finishing 10th over a good track in early November in a race that produced Gun Runner Stakes winner, Epicenter. A fast track could help, but Down to Bizzness looks overmatched here.

Dominican Ice (15-1) heads to Florida’s Gulf Coast after a couple good finishes in the maiden ranks at Gulfstream Park. The son of Keen Ice will be going around two turns for the first time and should enjoy the distance as his two best races have come at a mile. We will need to see more from Dominican Ice for him to win, but he could be an interesting horse if he gets an unchallenged lead.