Tapit has untapped potential and that is saying a lot considering he has been America’s leading sire the last 3 years. One of the reasons that Tapit has untapped potential is the way he came to being and his parentage.
Tapit is by Pulpit, who was a multiple Grade 2 winning runner having won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Toyota Blue Grass. Pulpit’s sire is the stellar A.P. Indy and A.P. Indy’s sire is Triple Crown champion Seattle Slew.
Tapit has untapped potential because of his dam too. His dam Tap Your Heels was sired by Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled and if you go deep in her family the great Nijinsky 11 materializes.
Anthony Beck, the owner of Gainesway Farm, was one of the first to realize that Tapit has untapped potential. He basically got this runner for a song and a dance,
He paid just $3 million over ten years ago for a 33% stake of the runner so this is a monumental return.
As a racer, Tapit was successful but far from a superstar. He was brilliant at times but was not the most durable of runners.
He was unbeaten in two juvenile starts, banked over $550,000 taking three of six races, and reached his pinnacle taking the Wood Memorial.
Tapit’s come a long way considering he started his stud career for a modest $15,000 stud fee.
In 2017 this sire is no cheap date. He has a very good chance to service over 100 mares this season and if that holds up, the figures are imposing.
Each time one of those mares gets in foal, his owners will collect a fee of $300,000 with a total cash flow of about $30 million for just one year.
Only one stallion, the legendary Storm Cat, has brought a higher per mare fee in the last couple of decades.
It’s kind of like the same deal that trainers and jockeys go through, Tapit has had great success but he has proven his worth. A jockey or trainer that just continues to win races will entice the best owners and the best horses.
Tapit has untapped potential because his runners just excel and he has been getting results consistently. He can win with first-time starters, like Eagle Scout that is pictured. His son Frosted is one of the best runners in recent years having earned nearly $4 million by winning races like the Met Mile, the Whitney and the Wood Memorial.
Tapit’s son Tonalist, won the Belmont Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup twice. Tapit has untapped potential when it comes to the fairer sex too. He sired Untapable and all that mare has done is become a champion by taking the Kentucky Oaks and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on her way to an over $4 million bankroll.
Tapit has untapped potential in 2017 also. He sired sophomore filly Unique Bella, who has won a pair of Grade 2s this year. She took the Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita in January and on February 5, she was victorious in the Las Virgenes Stakes.
Tapit has two other fillies set to shine. His daughter Bellavais was game winning the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January and his daughter Pretty City Dancer was a tough beat second in the Forward Gal Stakes on February 4.
Tapit has also been represented by older horses and the success some of those runners had last year projects to good things in 2017. Ring Weekend, a 6-year-old gelding, won Grade 2s last year on both coasts. Tapit’s son Scuba does his swimming in marathons. He won a mile and three-quarter stakes at Santa Anita last year and also took the mile and a half Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing last September.
Anchor Down, a son of Tapit out of an Orientate mare, does his best running in New York. He took the Grade 3 Westchester at Belmont Park last May and kept his form intact well enough to win the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap in October.
The bottom line is that whenever a handicapper sees Tapit in the pedigree, put a ring around the horse and give it serious consideration.
