TAPWRIT took over the lead on the second crop sire list by winners on Friday when Roses Are Gray won her 3-year-old debut in a Sam Houston Maiden Special Weight.
Spending the first half of the one-mile dirt race in last over five lengths behind the pacesetter, she started to make her move going into the far turn. She steadily picked off the other horses in the field to set herself up for a serious bid in the stretch where she grabbed the lead with just over a furlong left to go. From there, Roses Are Gray proved to be much the best with a 4 ¼ length winning margin at the line.
Roses are Gray by ✨ TAPWRIT earns a nice victory in MSW company yesterday becoming his 3rd *new* winner this year! In fact, in addition to Victory Formation’s stakes win in the Smarty Jones… ✨ TAPWRIT leads his crop in 2023 by number of winners (4) and earnings ($208,832). 💪 https://t.co/2LqkJxgCsy
— Gainesway (@Gainesway) January 14, 2023
Owned by Ron Stolich and trained by Ray Ashford, the TAPWRIT daughter was bred by Mike Rutherford in Kentucky.
She is bred on the same TAPIT son x Candy Ride daughter cross as 22 other winners, including three stakes performers and the Grade 3 winning Frosted Over. TAPIT himself is the sire of Grade 2 winner Subconscious out of a Candy Ride daughter.
TAPWRIT’s first crop has come out running this year with three winners in the past week and four winners overall since New Year’s Day led by Smarty Jones Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful Victory Formation. He also leads all second crop sires by earnings this year with $208,832 in earnings.
His four 3-year-old winners in 2023 is also second best only to Into Mischief – who currently has five winners with 10 more runners.