Trappe Shot will try stakes rivals in Long Branch

Exciting three-year-old TRAPPE SHOT (Tapit), a convincing winner over

allowance and maiden special weight opponents so far this season, will make his

highly-anticipated stakes debut in Saturday's $175,000

Long

Branch S. at Monmouth Park. The 1 1/16-mile event also marks the two-turn

debut for the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained colt, who has been installed as the 2-1

morning line favorite with regular rider Alan Garcia.

The chestnut Florida-bred exits a four-length victory in a seven-furlong

allowance tilt on the Belmont S. (G1) undercard. He garnered a whopping 109 BRIS

Speed rating for the easy win and stopped the teletimer in 1:22, three-fifths of

a second faster than Woody Stephens (G2) scorer D' Funnybone (D'wildcat) later

on the program.

Fifth following a stumbling start in his career bow at Saratoga last July,

Trappe Shot returned off a lengthy layoff with an impressive 10 1/4-length

maiden tally at Gulfstream Park on February 21. A stunning 12 3/4-length

allowance victor over state-breds on March 21, Trappe Shot will bring a

three-race win streak into the Long Branch, which serves as a prep for the

Jersey Shore's top prize, the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on August 1.

Northern Dancer (G3) winner COLIZEO (Distorted Humor) will provide quality

competition for the likely favorite. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the dark bay has

won two straight at Saturday's distance since a failed turf experiment in March,

leading wire to wire both times at Churchill Downs, and the speedy colt will

keep Garrett Gomez in the saddle. Colizeo is listed as the 5-2 second choice

from post 2.

SOUTHERN RIDGE (Southern Image), who netted a 103 BRIS Speed figure for his 7

1/2-length maiden win over track/distance on June 5, is an intriguing prospect

from trainer Patrick McBurney's stable, and LATIGO SHORE (Malibu

Moon) will enter on the upswing for Nick Zito, registering a 6 3/4-length allowance

victory at Delaware Park on June 12.

Grade 3-placed NACHO FRIEND (Friends Lake), fourth in the Pegasus (G3) most

recently, and former claimer WILDCAT LAKE (Wildcat Heir) round out the field.