The dream did indeed come true for the owners and connections of Always Dreaming in the 143rd Kentucky Derby. As the appropriately-named 3-year-old powered to a decisive 2¾-length triumph May 6 at Churchill Downs, it was a career-defining achievement for a colt whose preeminent classic sire line keeps finding roses.
With the final entries taken and post positions drawn for the 143rd Kentucky Derby, five contenders for the May 6 Churchill Downs classic have ties to Gainesway stallions.
A pair of high-priced Tapit offerings added fuel to a record-setting OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training that set records in gross and average price.
Gainesway’s young stallion Tapizar has had quite a good run of late, siring five winners in eight days. The most exciting of these might have been American Pastime, whose brilliant debut March 11 at Santa Anita Park earned “TDN Rising Star” designation and a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
Tapwrit tossed his hat into the spring classics ring March 11 with a brilliant performance in the Grade 2 $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, dispatching a field of nine other hopefuls. The handsome, muscular gray son of leading sire Tapit set a stakes record for the 1 1/16-mile major prep for the Kentucky Derby and also earned 50 Kentucky Derby points.
Though Tapit has led the general sire list for three consecutive years with record earnings in each, siring three graded stakes winners on the same day, March 4, was a noteworthy accomplishment even for him.
Gainesway’s repatriated stallion Empire Maker continues to leave his mark on his former home of Japan, where the sire picked up a trio of 3-year-old maiden winners March 4 in consecutive races at Hanshin Racecourse.
The first foals by triple Grade/Group 1 winner Karakontie continue to impress as they arrive and develop around the Bluegrass. Gainesway, which stands Karakontie and has provided significant mare support to the stallion, has several of Karakontie’s first foals at the Lexington property.
Tap It All became the newest black-type winner for Gainesway’s sophomore stallion Tapizar when the 3-year-old bay filly won the Feb. 11 California Oaks Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
Don Alberto Stable’s 3-year-old Tapit filly Unique Bella threw down a scintillating performance in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Feb. 5, one that has many racing pundits singing her praises as a possible Triple Crown candidate.