Stimulate romps in Dwyer; Ted Noffey fifth

Cody’s Wish and Knightsbridge have been among Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s accomplished one-turn stars this decade. The three-year-old Stimulate could potentially be cut from the same cloth, if his performance in Saturday’s $200,000 Dwyer S. at Belmont Park is any indication.

Cutting back in distance from a stakes-debut third in the 1 1/16-mile Bourbon Flight S. at Churchill Downs, Stimulate ($20.56) ripped through one mile in 1:33.64 over a fast track to win the Dwyer by 7 1/2 lengths, in the process defeating 6-5 favorite Sea Strike and the previously unbeaten 2025 juvenile champion Ted Noffey. 

Ted Noffey, making his first start since winning last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), was well positioned to pounce most of the way but was one-paced through the stretch en route.

In contrast to Ted Noffey, a three-time Grade 1 winner last term, Stimulate made only one start at two, finishing a distant fifth in a maiden at Saratoga. He didn’t race again for 11 months, but came back a winner in his July 18 return, and then followed up with an allowance win over one mile. Both races were at Saratoga.

Stimulate weakened late after making a middle move to the lead in the Bourbon Flight but made a sustained winning bid in upper stretch of the Dwyer under Junior Alvarado. Sea Strike, who trailed the field of eight through the opening half-mile, rallied to be a clear second over Igniter, while Ted Noffey finished 12 1/2 lengths behind Stimulate in fifth.

“I'm just totally confused by the race at Churchill. I don't know, I can't figure it out, there was no stopping him today,” said Mott, who also saddled the filly Beauty Reigns to a win in the $175,000 Pumpkin Pie S. earlier in the card. “I thought two turns is what he would want. His other races, his three wins have been at one turn." 

Mott was cool to the idea of wheeling Stimulate back against older rivals in the Dec. 6 Cigar Mile (G2), saying “It’d be kind of a lot to ask.”

A homebred racing for Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Stimulate is a son of Tapit and the multiple Grade 1-winning star Elate.

There was also an upset in the $300,000 Mother Goose (G2) for three-year-old fillies, when Tap to Open received a ground-saving ride from Manny Franco and drew off in upper stretch to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

In so doing, Tap to Open reversed the form of the Sept. 19 Cotillion (G1) at Parx, in which she finished more than eight lengths adrift of Bodacious Bay. The latter was the 4-5 favorite in the Mother Goose but faded through the stretch after pressing the pace and taking a short lead approaching the turn for home.

A homebred racing for Whisper Hill Farm, Tap to Open completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.72. Answered Prayers finished second by two lengths over longshot Tahlequah, with Bodacious Bay fourth in the field of eight.

The Mother Goose was the fourth win in eight starts for Tap to Open, who had previously captured the Cathryn Sophia S. at Parx prior to the Cotillion.

“Brad was a little bit skeptical of the one turn, but he liked the way she was training down in Kentucky,” said Dustin Dugas, assistant to trainer Brad Cox.

Tap to Open is a Tapit full sister to Grade 2 winner Charge It. Her second, multiple Grade 1 star Take Charge Lady, is the ancestress of champions Will Take Charge and Take Charge Brandi, as well as top-level performers Omaha Beach, Take Charge Indy, and As Time Goes By.