Kentucky-bred Tap to Open, owned by Whisper Hill Farm, secured her first graded stakes victory with a commanding 3 1/4-length triumph in Saturday’s $300,000 Mother Goose (G2) at Belmont Park. Facing a strong field of seven, including Grade 1 Cotillion winner Bodacious Bay, the 3-year-old filly powered through the 1 1/16-mile one-turn race impressively.
Trained by Brad Cox, Tap to Open arrived in New York following three consecutive wins, including the Cathryn Sophia (L) at Parx Racing, and a fourth-place finish in the Cotillion. Jockey Manny Franco kept her close behind early leaders, including Grade 1 winner Iron Orchard, who set a swift pace. Bodacious Bay challenged the lead at the half-mile point, but Tap to Open remained nearby, making a decisive move down the rail in the stretch to pull away from the favorite. She crossed the finish line in 1:41.72, holding off a late charge from Answered Prayers.
Answered Prayers, trained by Bill Mott, finished second by two lengths ahead of Tahlequah, with Bodacious Bay slipping to fourth. The rest of the order included Run Wild, Intrepids Fantasy, Ati Girl, and Iron Orchard, while Cognition, Laken, and Ivy Girl were scratched.
Going off at 5-1 odds, Tap to Open paid $12.72 on a $2 win wager. A bay filly by Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare I’ll Take Charge, she now boasts four wins from eight starts and has earned $500,343 to date. She is a full sister to Charge It, a multiple graded stakes winner and Kentucky stallion.
This win marked Cox’s second Mother Goose victory in three years, joining Tarifa’s 2024 success. Cox’s assistant, Dustin Dugas, noted Brad Cox had some reservations about the one-turn setup but admired the filly’s Kentucky training form. Franco executed a patient ride, positioning Tap to Open perfectly for her strong late rally.
Franco celebrated his first Mother Goose victory and added his second stakes win of the day after guiding Blazing Tiger to victory earlier in the Carle Place Stakes. He credited Tap to Open’s one-paced style and his tactical positioning for the win, smartly exploiting an opening on the rail.
Meanwhile, Answered Prayers, ridden by Junior Alvarado, continued her consistent run of form with a second-place finish, coming off six straight top-two placings. The daughter of Grade 1 winner Olympiad just missed another stakes win for Mott and Alvarado after their victories earlier in the card. Alvarado explained that Answered Prayers started off slow but showed resilience to finish strongly.
This report was originally published by Paulick Report on November 7, 2026.
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Fan Take: Tap to Open’s dominant victory in such a competitive field highlights the rising talent in the 3-year-old filly division and underscores Brad Cox’s skill at preparing horses for big races. For horse racing fans, this win not only elevates Tap to Open’s profile but also promises exciting matchups in upcoming stakes, potentially shaping the sport’s future stars.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
