Trappe Shot continued preparations for the Oct. 1 Vosburgh Invitational (gr. I) at Belmont Park with a breeze at the New York track Sept. 17, working in company with stablemate Rattlesnake Bridge. The tandem was clocked in :49.90 seconds for the four-furlong distance.
Both colts are owned by Nicholas Brady’s Mill House and are sons of Tapit . Trappe Shot, a 4-year-old, seeks his first grade I victory. This year, he won the June 11 True North Presented by Emirates Airline (gr. II) and finished second by a nose in the Aug. 7 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I).
“They weren’t super fast, but I felt like when we worked after the break the track might have been a little bit dull,” said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of the workouts. “Anyway, we’re happy. The important horses worked well and came back in good shape.”
Rattlesnake Bridge, runner-up in the Travers (gr. I), is working toward a start in the Sept. 24 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) at Parx Racing.
McLaughlin added that Darley Stable’s Alpha , a 2-year-old who won his debut by six lengths at Saratoga Sept. 3, will likely return to the worktab Sept. 24 as he aims for a start in the Oct. 8 Champagne (gr. I) at Belmont.
“He’s smallish-framed, so he doesn’t need to work every week,” said McLaughlin. “We’ll work him on Sept. 21 for the (Champagne), but we’ll also watch the weather. We might work him Thursday or Friday.”