Rattlesnake Bridge, a 3-year-old son of Tapit, closed with a rush in the final furlong to win his career debut Feb. 12 at Gulfstream Park. The gray or roan colt was a $450,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale last May, the second-highest price of the auction.

Now owned by Mill House, Rattlesnake Bridge was well-backed at 9-5 for his unveiling, and he didn't disappoint. He got away in the fifth spot, where he stayed for the first half-mile. John Velazquez swung him out wide in the stretch, but he still had six lengths to make up with just a furlong to go. The promising sophomore hit his best stride at that point, and sped past the front runners to win by 1 1/4-lengths in 1:11.62.

Rattlesnake Bridge is one of 13 sons of Tapit nominated to the 2011 Triple Crown. The number is the second-most of any sire of the 364 total nominees. Rattlesnake Bridge was bred in Kentucky by William Graves and Dennis Lynch. He is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.

Tapit has gotten off to a great start in 2011. He ranks third on the North American general sire list, and already has a Grade 1 stakes winner in Zazu, a 3-year-old filly who won the Las Virgenes S. on Feb. 5.