Tapit has emerged as one of the most influential and breed-shaping stallions of the past half-century.
Tapit’s daughter Unique Bella boosted her star status to new echelons when the gray mare received an Eclipse Award as 2018 champion older dirt female. Now a dual champion, Unique Bella was also named the nation’s top female sprinter in 2017.
Gainesway’s three-time leading sire Tapit completed the 2018 racing season as the No. 1 sire by Beyer Speed Figure performance standings, Daily Racing Form reported Jan. 2.
Two-year-old Tapit colts Cornacchia and Gun It both won maiden special weight races Dec. 22 at Fair Grounds and were named “TDN Rising Stars” for their performances.
Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Dream Pauline scored a narrow but determined victory in the six-furlong Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) Dec. 15 at Gulfstream Park to become the latest graded stakes winner for champion sire Tapit.
Chasing Yesterday, a 2-year-old Tapit half-sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, gamely won the Dec. 8 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos to become her sire’s 25th Grade 1 winner.
Winter Sunset, a 2-year-old daughter of Tapit, impressed in her unveiling with a 4¼-length front-running victory Nov. 29 at Fair Grounds.
Godolphin homebred Coliseum entered his Nov. 17 racing debut at Del Mar with unusually high expectations for an unraced 2-year-old, and the gray son of Tapit delivered on the hype with a stunning 6¾-length victory while barely being asked for run.
Tapit’s champion filly Unique Bella won her second straight Grade 1 in the July 29 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, securing an automatic berth in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and capping a huge weekend for her sire, who was represented by six winners July 27-29 including three stakes winners, two graded, and a new “TDN Rising Star.”
Dream Maker, a 2-year-old Tapit colt and full brother to 2017 Del Mar Oaks (G1) winner Dream Dancing, made an impressive racing debut and was named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after his victory June 7 at Churchill Downs.
Don Alberto’s talented 4-year-old Tapit filly Unique Bella, the Eclipse champion female sprinter of 2017, added another top-level victory to her résumé June 2 at Santa Anita Park when she defeated fellow Grade 1 winners Paradise Woods and Vale Dori in the Beholder Mile (G1).