Tapit has emerged as one of the most influential and breed-shaping stallions of the past half-century.
Rugbyman, a 3-year-old son of leading sire Tapit, crushed a Belmont Park maiden special weight field by 14 lengths on May 13 and was named the newest ‘TDN Rising Star.’
Conquest Big E, a 5-year-old son of three-time champion sire Tapit, employed front-running tactics to dominate the Hardacre Mile (G2) March 31 at Gulfstream Park, spoiling the seasonal debut of 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming.
Tapit’s 2017 champion female sprinter Unique Bella showed why there’s more than sprinting in her future as she crushed an overmatched field by nine lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria Stakes (G2) Feb. 10 at Santa Anita.
Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella was crowned 2017 champion female sprinter at the 47th annual Eclipse Awards ceremony Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. The imposing gray joins Stardom Bound (2-year-old filly in 2008), Hansen (2-year-old colt in 2011), and Untapable (3-year-old filly in 2014) as Eclipse champions sired by Tapit.
Don Alberto Stable’s 3-year-old Tapit filly Unique Bella, already a four-time graded stakes winner going into the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, gamely defeated Paradise Woods in the seven-furlong event to become her sire’s 24th Grade 1 winner.
Gainesway has released stud fees for its 2018 roster, and Tapit, the leading North American sire in 2014, 2015, and 2016, will again command a $300,000 fee and his book will be limited to 125 mares.
Yearlings by Tapit brought $2.7 million, $2.6 million, and $2.5 million—the three highest prices of Keeneland September’s elite Book 1 session—to vault the champion sire atop the standings by both average and gross.
Three-time champion sire Tapit officially counted his 100th black-type stakes winner Aug. 21, according to records compiled by The Jockey Club.
Three-time leading sire Tapit realized his 23rd Grade 1 stakes winner when John Oxley’s homebred 3-year-old filly Dream Dancing thrust her nose across the finish line first in the Aug. 19 $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.
Gainesway’s champion sire Tapit reached another milestone June 10 when his son Tapwrit won the 149th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. For the third time in four years, a son of Tapit has won the “Test of the Champion.”