BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Minnesota Ready and Florida-bred Tape to Tape, who were first and second respectively last out in the $100,000 Speightstown Sprint at Lone Star Park, meet again Saturday in the $125,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint. The two geldings will join nine other 3-year-olds and older who will go five furlongs on the Lone Star Park turf.
Tape to Tape won an early speed duel in the May 27 Speightstown Sprint then took a one-length advantage down the stretch of the six-furlong contest. However, Minnesota Ready made a late run from fifth to catch Tape to Tape just before the wire and win by a half-length.
For Tape to Tape, that was the second start from the barn of trainer Karl Broberg and owner End Zone Athletics Inc., He was claimed by his new connections for $50,000 out of a second-place finish in an optional claiming at Fair Grounds on Feb. 24. In his first start for Broberg on April 21, Tape to Tape won an upper condition, $40,000 optional claiming by five-and-a-half-lengths going five-and-a-half furlongs at Lone Star.
A winner of the $50,000 Ed Skinner at Prairie Meadows in June of last year, Tape to Tape has 10 victories from 33 career starts with nine seconds and four thirds. He was an $85,000 purchase by Michael Ley out of the Ocala Stud consignment at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale and has since earned $414,104.
Tape to Tape is 4-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez from post six.
Owner Richard C. Colton purchased Minnesota Ready for $380,000 to top the Fasig-Tipton Digital Lothenbach Dispersal in February and saw him promptly win the $98,000 Colonel Power over a sloppy five-and-a-half furlongs at Fair Grounds on Feb. 17. He was then second to Bo Cruz in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 6 before finishing off the board in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs won by Gun Pilot on May 4.
Minnesota Ready is trained by Tom Amoss and has a career record of five wins, three seconds and five thirds from 25 starts with earnings of $484,112.
He is the 5-2 morning line favorite and Martin Pedroza Jr. will ride from post seven.
Florida-bred Toddchero ships to Lone Star Park from Evangeline Downs with trainer Jayde Gelner.
Toddchero will move to sprinting after going a mile on the turf at Evangeline Downs in his last three races. He was third in an upper level, $30,000 optional claiming won by Duke of Carthania on Jun 14 and won a non-winners of three allowance on May 10. He was second to Easter Snap in a second level, allowance on April 12.
Toddchero is owned by Norman Stables, who purchased him for $77,000 out of the 2022 OBS Spring Sale where he was consigned by Fast Horses. He has since won three of 19 career starts with four seconds and five third while earning $170,842.
Freddy Manrrique will ride Toddchero from post 11 and they are 12-1 on the morning line.
Completing the field are Empire of Gold and jockey Floyd Wethey Jr., Artemus Citylimits will be ridden by David Cabrera, Agent Peter Graves with rider C.J. McMahon, Richard Erania will be aboard Atras, Stayed in for Half with Eric Asmussen in the saddle, Sign of War will carry Chris Elliot, Prince Lancelot has Chris Landeros taking the call and Rodolfo Guerra will ride Let’s Go Mark.
