TAPIT

Gainesway's marquee sire Tapit  is well positioned to make Belmont Stakes (G1) history June 8 as he could become the second stallion to be represented by four winners since the classic was first run in 1867.

The 18-year-old son of Pulpit is in elite company already, being one of only five stallions to sire three or more Belmont winners. 

Lexington, a son of Boston born in 1850, owns the best Belmont sire record with four winners: General Duke (1868), Kingfisher (1870), Harry Bassett (1871), and Duke of Magenta (1878). The three other stallions with three Belmont winners are Australian, Fair Play, and Man o' War, who was a son of Fair Play. Australian was represented by Joe Daniels (1872), Springbok (1873), and Spendthrift (1879). Fair Play's Belmont winners were Man o' War (1920), Mad Play (1924), and Chance Shot (1927). Man o' War made his mark with American Flag (1925), Crusader (1926), and Triple Crown winner War Admiral (1937).

Four of the five stallions with three or more winners had consecutive Belmont winners—Lexington, Australian, Man o' War, and Tapit. 

Tapit's first Belmont winner struck in 2014 when Robert S. Evans' Tonalist , who won by a head over Commissioner . Two years later the sire was represented by Creator, raced by WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay, who won by a nose over Destin. Tapwrit  came right back in 2017 and won the Belmont for his sire by two lengths ahead of Irish War Cry.

"It is a great endorsement of the stallion, who is still a teenager," said Michael Hernon with Gainesway, where Tapit stands for $225,000. "He elevated himself from the beginning when he was the leading first-crop sire of his class and continues to produce top runners. He has the ability to not only get grade 1 winners but many can carry their speed over a distance of ground.

"They are sound, tough, and relish competition. They are strong-willed horses," Hernon continued. "Creator was in a photo and Tonalist was in a photo. If there is a photo finish and a Tapit is in it, then they are most likely going to win it."

Tapit has three opportunities in this year's Belmont to match Lexington's record. He is represented by 9-5 morning-line favorite Tacitus, Intrepid Heart (10-1), and Bourbon War (12-1).

Hernon said Tacitus is a legitimate favorite over Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will. 

"Tacitus showed a good level of ability early in the year in winning the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and setting a new stakes record and then he upped his game, overcoming adversity in the Wood Memorial (G2) where he had real trouble in the first turn. A lot of horses would have chucked it that day, but he continued on and closed a lot of ground to win," Hernon said. Tacitus encountered more chaos at the top the stretch of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) where he finished fourth and later was moved up to third following the disqualification of Maximum Security.

No one can fault Tacitus' breeding either, being out of the five-time grade 1 winner and 2014 champion older mare Close Hatches. Like Tacitus, Close Hatches is a Juddmonte Farms homebred. She found a lot of success at Belmont Park where she won the 2013 Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and 2014 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1). She also finished second in the 2013 Acorn Stakes (G1) at Big Sandy. 

Though a nagging lung infection kept Tapit out of the Belmont his sophomore year, the stallion has a winning connection to the Belmont through his grandsire A.P. Indy, who won the 1 1/2-mile classic in 1992. Retired stallion A.P. Indy, son of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, sired 2007 Belmont winner Rags to Riches.

A victory in the Belmont by Tacitus, Bourbon War, or Intrepid Heart would not only further elevate Tapit's status in American classic history, it also would likely move him into second on this year's general leading sire list behind Lane's End's Quality Road . Tapit already owns three leading North American sire titles, which he captured consecutively 2014-16, and would be in a good position for a serious run at a fourth title.

Tapit ranks third by progeny earnings through June 5 but is the leading sire year to date by number of black-type winners with 18 and by black-type wins with 22. Belmont day has the potential to enhance all of Tapit's statistics because he has four other runners entered in three stakes on the June 8 Belmont Park card.

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Multiple stakes winner Marconi, a $2 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase owned by Bridlewood Farm, Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor, is a leading contender in the $400,000 Woodford Reserve Brooklyn Invitational Stakes (G2), also at 1 1/2 miles. He'll be joined in this race by another Tapit son in Biblical, who is owned by China Horse Club.

Two-time listed stakes winner Nitrous will pursue his first graded stakes victory in the $400,000 Woody Stephens Presented by Mohegan Sun Stakes (G1) for owner/breeder Winchell Thoroughbreds and co-owner Stonestreet Stables. Graded-placed Dream Maker will be chasing her first stakes win for owner John Oxley in the $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes. 

"Quality Road is having a great year with three grade 1 winners so far, and he got a huge bump with City of Light  winning the Pegasus, which vaulted him to a clear lead," Hernon said, referring to the $4 million payday City of Light had for winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) back in January. As of June 5, Quality Road topped the sire standings with $8,299,677 in progeny earnings. 

"It has been a bit of mountain to climb, but as well as Tapit's been doing it is conceivable he could get there," Hernon continued. "His runners hold their form, and we know he is likely to come up with a good 2-year-old because we've seen it before. I think we are going to continue watching Tapit write his name into the history books."