Rose Petal Stable’s Copper Tax scored a come-from-behind victory in a three-way photo finish in Saturday’s $100,000 Private Terms S. at Laurel Park.
The nail-biting win was the third career stakes win for the 3-year-old Copper Bullet colt, who won both the Rocky Run S. and James Lewis III S. as part of a five-race winning streak last year.
Copper Tax settled in fifth early, with Speedyness taking the lead and setting an opening quarter-mile in 23.51. Copper Tax held his spot down the backstretch before swinging out to the center of the track on the far turn. In fourth at the top of the stretch, Copper Tax continued to make up ground and steadily reeled in the leaders to get to the wire a neck in front of Inveigled, with Speedyness a head back in third.
“Very good race,” Rose Petal’s Chris Loso said. “I think he settled down well coming out of the one hole. Halfway through he was falling a little bit back and I got a little bit nervous there, but on the final turn he was able to get right in the middle there and had a space to open up. He really opened it up on that last turn and coming into the homestretch. It was amazing.”
Saturday’s win upped Copper Tax’s record to 6-1-0 in nine starts, with earnings of $311,500. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Lance Sullenberger.
Copper Tax could now target the $125,000 Federico Tesio S. April 20, a ‘Win and In’ qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 149th Preakness (G1) May 18.
