Turf Stakes Next for Tapeta Beast Peter D
At 0h55, on December 14, 2021 • By NEWSROOM
After roaring off the pace to register his third straight dominating victory over Gulfstream Park’s Tapeta course Sunday, Peter D ($3) clearly is in line for a stakes start for his next outing.
With Tapeta not an option on the Championship Meet stakes schedule, owner/trainer Andry Blanco will opt for turf for the 3-year-old son of He’s Had Enough’s next start. The $100,000 Dania Beach, a mile stakes on turf on Jan. 1, or the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy (G3), a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes, on Feb. 5, are upcoming stakes restricted to 3-year-olds.
“I was going to wait for a stake, but this race came up. I put him in and used it as a breeze,” Blanco said. “Turf will be next for him.”
Sunday’s effort in Race 6, a mile-and-70-yard option claiming starter allowance for 2-year-olds, should set up the gray gelding nicely for his next race. Peter D rated off the pace and raced in traffic behind a tepid pace before making a five-wide sweep on the final turn and continuing on to register a measured-length victory.
“I have a lot of confidence in my horse. I thought he’d run the same race he did last time,” Blanco said. “I felt pretty comfortable with my horse.”
Peter D, who ran the mile and 70 yards in 1:43.21 under Leonel Reyes, has run once on turf, finishing fifth in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach Sept. 5 at Gulfstream after breaking his maiden for a $25,000 claiming price on dirt in his debut at Delaware Park. The Florida-bred gelding has certainly appreciated the stretch-out around two turns for his next two starts on Tapeta, in which he kicked away from his rivals in the stretch to win going away.
The 40-year-old Blanco arrived in the U.S. from Venezuela in 2003. He rode 49 winners from 381 mounts during a career that included a seven-year break between 2005 and 2013. He has been based in Ocala in recent years while pinhooking and breaking 2-year-olds.
