Gainesway’s marquee sire Tapit is a uncommon stallion whose legacy contains an particularly uncommon achievement tied to the Belmont Stakes (G1).
The 25-year-old son of Pulpit is one among solely two stallions within the 157-year historical past of the Belmont to sire 4 winners of this essential American basic and third leg of the Triple Crown collection. The one different sire to perform this feat is Lexington, who was North America’s main sire by progeny earnings for 14 consecutive years from 1861-74 after which added two extra titles in 1876 and 1878.
Lexington sired his first Belmont Stakes winner in 1868 when the race was run at Jerome Park going 1 5/8 miles. His subsequent three winners had been King Fisher (1870), Harry Bassett (1871), and Duke Of Magenta (1878). Duke Of Magenta received at what would change into the race’s extra conventional distance of 1 1/2 miles.
Robert Evans’ Tonalist turned Tapit’s first Belmont winner in 2014, taking part in the spoiler in California Chrome ‘s bid to brush the Triple Crown. Bred by Woodslane Farm out of the Nice Colony mare Settling Mist, the strapping bay colt underscored his capability to run a route of floor by profitable consecutive editions of the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes (G1) in 2014-15.
The wait was not lengthy for Tapit’s runners to shine once more at Belmont Park the primary Saturday in June.
Creator , who raced for WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay, captured his second profession grade 1 win within the Belmont in 2016. The grey or roan colt had beforehand received the Arkansas Derby (G1), then ran unplaced within the Kentucky Derby (G1) earlier than prevailing at Belmont Park. Mt. Sensible Broodmares bred Creator out of the Peruvian-bred a number of group winner Morena, who ran third within the 2009 Private Ensign Stakes (G1) and was runner-up that yr in three different graded stakes.
Tapwrit , one other grey/roan colt, made it two Belmont winners in a row for Tapit in 2017 and delivered a 3rd Belmont victory for coach Todd Pletcher. Tapwrit was raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Companions, Robert LaPenta, and Bridlewood Farm, later joined in partnership by Gainesway Steady and Whisper Hill Farm. My Meadowview bred Tapwrit out of grade 1 winner Interesting Zophie (Profitable Enchantment), who received the 2006 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at 2 and 2007 Silverbulletday Stakes (G3) at 3.
Godolphin homebred Important High quality is Tapit’s most up-to-date Belmont winner, having captured the Take a look at of the Champion in 2021 after operating fourth within the Kentucky Derby (G1) however later moved as much as third following the disqualification of Medina Spirit. Important High quality added emphasis to his Belmont victory by happening to win the Travers Stakes (G1). Godolphin bred Important High quality, additionally a grey/roan horse, out of the Elusive High quality daughter Pleasant High quality, a grade 3-placed winner and runner-up in 5 different black-type stakes. Whereas the dams of Tonalist and Creator each excelled at distances of 1 1/8 miles and longer, Pleasant High quality did her greatest operating at 6 and seven furlongs.
Tapit is not going to be represented by a starter on this yr’s Belmont, being run June 6 at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga Race Course due to renovation at Belmont Park, however he will probably be represented via two runners by his son Structure .
Photograph: Coady Media/Renee TorbitChief Wallabee is 3-1 on the morning line for the Belmont Stakes
Structure is the sire of this yr’s contenders Chief Wallabee , a grade 1-placed winner and homebred for Mike and Katherine Ball, and Repole Steady’s winner Powershift .
Photograph: Heather C. JacksonPowershift breaks his maiden at Churchill Downs
The success of Tapit’s progeny within the Belmont and a very robust affinity amongst sure tail-male sire strains amongst Belmont winners might give Structure’s runners an edge and additional improve Tapit’s legacy on this race.
Most significantly, Structure has already sired a Belmont winner. His son Tiz the Regulation captured the Belmont throughout a COVID-19-ravaged 2020 racing yr that noticed the Belmont run earlier than the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1), which received moved to September and October, respectively.
Photograph: Anne M. EberhardtConstitution at WinStar Farm
As for sire strains, the winners of 39 Belmont Stakes have grandsires who additionally sired a Belmont winner. These 39 winners account for 25% of all Belmont winners going again to 1867.
Moreover, 14 Belmont winners have gone on to sire a Belmont winner. These embrace:
Duke of Magenta (received in 1878): sired Eric (1889)
Spendthrift (1879): Hastings (1896)
Commando (1901): Peter Man (1907) and Colin (1908)
The Finn (1915): Zev (1923)
Man o’ Battle (1920): American Flag (1925), Crusader (1926), and Triple Crown winner Battle Admiral (1937)
Probability Shot (1927): Peace Probability (1924)
Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox (1930): Triple Crown winner Omaha (1935), Granville (1936)
Triple Crown winner Rely Fleet (1943): Counterpoint (1951), One Rely (1952)
Sword Dancer (1959): Damascus (1967)
Triple Crown winner Secretariat (1973): Risen Star (1988)
Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977): Swale (1984), A.P. Indy (1992)
A.P. Indy (1992): Rags to Riches (2007)
Thunder Gulch (1995): Level Given (2001)
Birdstone (2004): Summer time Chook (2009)
Tapit is a grandson of A.P. Indy via Pulpit, so this sire line from Seattle Slew (A.P. Indy’s sire) has already produced eight Belmont winners, starting with Seattle Slew’s son Swale in 1984.
Along with sire affinity, Tapit’s progeny appear to thrive within the Belmont for all the identical causes they’ve succeeded in elite races all over the world. Tapit is at present the main energetic North American sire by variety of Northern Hemisphere graded/group stakes winners with 106. He additionally earned three consecutive main North American sire titles by progeny earnings for 2014-16.
“Tapit equals the file as a sire of Belmont winners due to his capability to provide a racehorse with the proper mixture of velocity and stamina,” mentioned Brian Graves, common supervisor for Gainesway. “It has been the principle motive for his success total. Additionally, he instills a variety of coronary heart and need to win in his offspring. It’s nice to see that proceed via one among his greatest sons, Structure.”
It’s curious that Tapit’s runners haven’t fared as properly in both the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness. At greatest, he has two third-place finishers within the Derby with Tacitus (2019) and Important High quality and two third-place finishers within the Preakness with Divining Rod (2015) and Sandman (2025).
David Fiske, racing supervisor for Winchell Thoroughbreds that raced Tapit, mentioned it might be onerous to pinpoint why the stallion’s progeny has had specific success within the Belmont. Somewhat, he sees the feat as simply one other piece of a outstanding stallion profession on many ranges.
“He sires a giant share of high-quality horses that go after these sorts of races,” he mentioned. “I believe it speaks to the general high quality of his offspring. They’re very environment friendly, free-running horses.”
Fiske added that he has seen with Tapit’s runners that if a jockey would not attempt to drive them to the lead or maintain them to charge and simply lets them discover their stride, then they discover a solution to win.
“In the event you do not mess with them they usually get right into a rhythm that’s comfy for them, they’ll run all day they usually often have high-cruising speeds. Possibly that makes them extra appropriate to a race just like the Belmont,” he mentioned. “However actually, it is only one extra of the outstanding issues he is completed all through his profession.”
