TAPIT helped trainer Steve Asmussen make history at Saratoga on Saturday when 2-year-old son Stellar Tap romped in a Maiden Special Weight over seven furlongs by 5 ¼ lengths.
Making his debut, the Steve Asmussen trainee went straight to the lead and raced head-and-head with the race favorite multiple lengths in front of the field. Stellar Tap stuck his nose in front in midterm and had half a length on his longtime rival as they entered the stretch.
It didn’t take long for Stellar Tap to take off after he straightened up with jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. never asking the L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds colt to give maximum effort. Giving trainer Steve Asmussen his history making 9,446th career victory to become the all-time leading North American trainer, Stellar Tap finished 5 ¼ lengths ahead of the runner-up and 9 ½ lengths ahead of the third place finisher.
Here is the record maker. Stellar Tap (5-1) gallops home, giving Steve Asmussen his 9,446 career training win, most of all time in North America. @RSantana_Jr in the saddle for memorable ride. 7-3-8-10 pic.twitter.com/w3sB4TP8QN
— Tim Wilkin (@tjwilkin) August 7, 2021
The colt was bred by Moyglare Stud and is the first foal out of the three-time winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Gioia Stella, who herself was a $1.5 million yearling purchase by her owners.
Stellar Tap’s dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Nereid and stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Sea Queen with Nereid also producing stakes winner Figarella’s Queen.
This is the second impressive juvenile winner in New York this year for TAPIT, who also sired 7 ¾ length winner Coinage. That colt out of Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Bar of Gold finished third in last month’s Rick Violette S. at Saratoga.