Gainesway announced its 2017 stud fees Nov. 10, with leading sire Tapit again headlining the roster and standing for an industry-leading $300,000.
Tapit led the North American general sires list in 2014 and 2015 and leads again in 2016 with more than $18 million in progeny earnings, $6.5 million in front of the next-highest total. Tapit has been represented by four new Grade 1 winners in 2016—Creator, Pretty City Dancer, Sweet Loretta, and Time and Motion—while his leading earner Frosted won both the Met Mile (G1) and Whitney Stakes (G1).
Tapit yearlings averaged a robust $629,070 in 2016. He also sired the $1.8 million sale-topping colt at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale, and mares in foal to Tapit topped both Fasig-Tipton November ($3.5 million Baffled) and Keeneland November Book 1 ($3.8 million Unrivaled Belle).
Empire Maker, the sire of 11 lifetime Grade 1 winners and grandsire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, will stand for a fee of $85,000 in 2017. The regally-bred son of Unbridled and Toussaud enters his second season in Kentucky since returning from Japan in 2015 after being acquired by Gainesway and Don Alberto Corp.
Among the leading first-crop sires of 2016, Tapit’s popular young son Tapizar will remain at $15,000 in 2017. Tapizar is represented by 11 first-crop winners including Sapling Stakes winner and Saratoga Special (G2) runner-up Tip Tap Tapizar and Sanford Stakes (G3)-placed Zartera. Tapizar has also sired a pair of impressive maiden winners in Japan, namely the colt Gekirin and filly Mrs Watanabe. His $738,867 in initial crop earnings currently ranks No. 4 on the freshman sires’ list.
Second-year stallion Karakontie, a three-time Grade/Group 1-winning miler, will stand for $15,000 in 2017. Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) while recording a 110 Beyer Speed Figure and ‘2’ on the Ragozin sheets, Karakontie is by the Storm Cat stallion Bernstein from the immediate family of successful sire Kingmambo. Karakontie covered 113 mares during his first season at stud.
To Honor and Serve, a multiple Grade 1 winner by Bernardini, will stand for $10,000 in 2017. To Honor and Serve’s first crop of 2-year-olds includes nine winners, most recently Old Bailey, a $220,000 yearling purchase who made a winning debut for owner Sheikh Mohammed Nov. 6 at Tokyo. To Honor and Serve’s three stakes horses are Honor Thy Father, who placed in the Ellis Park Juvenile; State of Honor, placed in the Victoria Stakes; and Panama Grade 3 winner Steps to Heaven.
Completing the Gainesway roster are Afleet Alex, perennially one of the best value sires in Kentucky, who will stand for $10,000 in 2017; classic sire Birdstone, whose Grade 1-winning son Noble Bird set a new Keeneland track record in the Oct. 29 Fayette Stakes (G2), at $5,000; and international sire Hat Trick, sire of new 2016 Group 1 winner Hat Puntano, also at $5,000.
2017 Gainesway Stud Fees