Favored at 12-5 in the Travers Day dirt maiden that more times than not produces horses to watch down the road, Jim Bakke’s Tip Top Thomas (c, 2, Volatile–Attempt To Name, by Consolidator) narrowly outlasted a couple of well-meant rivals to become the first ‘TDN Rising Star’ and eighth winner overall for his freshman sire (by Violence).

Quickest into stride, Tip Top Thomas led through the opening exchanges, but he was soon joined and passed to his inside by Rookie Card (Adios Charlie)–bet from a 9-2 morning line to be off as a 5-2 chance–and he covered the first couple of furlongs in :21.95 with Tip Top Thomas content to do the chasing from second. Tracking the front-runner’s every move for the run around the turn, Tip Top Thomas was asked to come after Rookie Card once heads were turned for home and the battle was joined in earnest. Stride for stride with neither giving an inch into the final furlong, Tip Top Thomas finally gained the upper hand approaching the sixteenth pole and bravely went on to score narrowly.

The way he won the six-furlong race was encouraging enough for Pletcher, who saw Uncle Mo break his maiden on Travers Day in 2010. Last year, it was Fierceness (City of Light) who broke his maiden, that one coming on the Friday before.

“It’s never a bad thing,” Pletcher said of getting a juvenile to the winner’s circle on Travers weekend. “Historically, a maiden race on Travers Day is always a good one.”

Tip Top Thomas was a $160,000 purchase out of last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale. Jim Bakke also won this same maiden race in 2021 with MG1W and now sire, Jack Christopher.