Strong Hand gets Stronger for Tapit

Memories being as short as they are, it is easy to forget that two-time champion sire Tapit has not always been America's highest-priced stallion. Far from it, the Gainesway star initially made his name with crops sired at either $15,000 or $12,500 and it was only as recently as 2012, in his eighth year as a stallion, that his fee reached six figures. To be precise, it stood at $125,000, which placed him third on the list behind Bernardini and Street Cry, who were priced at $150,000.

Of course his 2012 efforts in the breeding shed have resulted in an exciting crop of 3-year-olds which surely represents his best chance of siring his first GI Kentucky Derby winner. The unbeaten Mohaymen still has the most Derby points (70) but last Saturday's GII Rebel S. provided an opportunity for Tapit to strengthen his hand for Churchill Downs. With four sons among the 14 contenders at Oaklawn Park, Tapit supplied first, third, sixth and 12th, with victory going to the progressive Cupid.

Cupid's success boosted him to fourth on the points table, with 50, while third-placed Creator gained a foot on the ladder with 10 points.

Needless to say, this 2013 crop also made a considerable impact in the sales ring, with Tapit topping the sires' tables with an average price of $611,125 and a median of $527,500. His Kentucky Derby hopefuls played a considerable part in this story, with Mohaymen supplying the top price of $2.2 million, while Cupid cost M.V. Magnier $900,000, making him the seventh highest-priced Tapit of 2014.

I thought it might be interesting to track the other high-priced Tapits. Magnier also splashed out $1.2 million for the Dream Rush colt. Named Adios Reality, he has been unplaced in two starts. Next in order, at $1.15 million, was Propositioned, the She Be Wild filly which has yet to race.

Mohaymen's buyers, Shadwell Estate Co., also paid $1.1 million for a colt out of Foxy Danseur and chose to send this youngster to Europe. Named Tathqeef, this colt made his debut over Wolverhampton's all-weather track last October, recording a comfortable victory over 1 3/16 miles. He has been given some Classic entries. Of the two fillies which sold for $1 million, the one out of Rote has won two of her three starts, as 'TDN Rising Star' Royal Obsession, while Espresso Time, the daughter of Super Espresso, has yet to win in four attempts.

The Rote filly was also one of the Tapit youngsters which were in great demand at the 2-year-old sales. The others were Inheritance, a record-setting $1.9-million filly who hasn't raced since she earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with a 16-length triumph at Belmont last October. M.V. Magnier also signed for another Tapit colt for $900,000. Named Kismet's Heels, he showed sufficient promise when second on his first two starts to be allowed to take his chance in the GIII Palm Beach S. last month.

It is going to be interesting to review this bunch in a year's time, as there could be a few slow-burners here. But even if there are no other graded winners among them, Mohaymen and Cupid have done enough to justify buyers' enthusiasm.

The Coolmore team clearly have plenty of faith in Tapit's ability to establish a flourishing male line. They also paid $1 million for Dream Team, a year-older brother to Cupid. Dream Team proved less precocious than his younger brother, not making it to the races until the August of his sophomore season, but he was a MSW winner over a mile at Del Mar last November on the third of his five starts.

A few of the Tapits seem to combine the odd quirk with their considerable talent and Cupid reminds me a little of Frosted, a creditable fourth in last year's Kentucky Derby. Frosted was also second in the Belmont, so can be included in the limited number of Tapits which have flourished over a mile and a quarter or more. Thanks to his Belmont S. success, Tonalist has the distinction of being Tapit's only graded winner over a mile and a half. This small selection of stayers also includes the turf mare White Rose (GIII Glens Falls S. over 1 3/8 miles), Careless Jewel (GI Alabama S. over a mile and a quarter) and Headache (GII Hawthorne Gold Cup over a mile and a quarter). There's also Closing Bell (Dueling Grounds Derby) and Tedsta Matta (Japan Dirt Derby).

So what are Cupid's chances of shining over a mile and a quarter? He certainly didn't look to be stopping at the end of the Rebel S., so he definitely can't be ruled out at this stage. There have to be a few worries, though, about his potential stamina.

At first glance it seems helpful that his broodmare sire is that tough and versatile performer Beau Genius, winner of the Arlington Challenge Cup over a mile and a quarter. However, that success came as a 5-year-old (when Beau Genius remarkably collected nine stakes victories from 14 starts). Prior to that year, the son of Bold Ruckus had done all his winning at up to 1 1/16 miles and six of his wins as a 5-year-old came at around seven furlongs, so he possessed plenty of speed.

As a stallion Beau Genius enjoyed Grade I success with the American sprinter Big Macher and the Irish 2-year-old seven-furlong winner Belle Genius. As a broodmare sire, he owes much of his success to Cupid's dam Pretty 'n Smart, who now has four stakes winners to her credit. Pretty 'n Smart finished third in a couple of stakes as a 3-year-old, firstly over seven furlongs and then over five and a half.

In the circumstances, it isn't too surprising that Pretty 'n Smart's previous stakes winners all possessed more speed than stamina. Her Tale of the Cat filly Ashley's Kitty won the GIII Railbird S. over seven furlongs and did all her winning over sprint distances. It was a similar story with her Lion Heart filly Heart Ashley. Her two Grade III successes as a 3-year-old were both gained over six furlongs, as was her stakes success at four. Then there's her son Indianapolis, who contested last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint before finishing fourth in the GI Malibu S. over seven furlongs.

Ashley's Kitty can be excused her lack of stamina on the basis that her sire showed more speed than stamina and has an average winning distance of 6.75 furlongs. On the other hand, Heart Ashley's sire Lion Heart won the GI Haskell Invitational after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, while Indianapolis is by Medaglia d'Oro, who won the GI Travers S.

An interesting aspect of Pretty 'n Smart's pedigree is the presence in the third and second generations of the brothers Viceregal and Vice Regent. These two, of course, were sons of the Kentucky Derby winner Northern Dancer. Vice Regent is best remembered as the sire of Deputy Minister, whose daughters have produced Frosted, the Grade I-winning miler Tapizar, last year's Grade III-winning juvenile Tin Type Gal and the Grade I-placed Draw It to Tapit.

Perhaps, like Frosted, Cupid will stay well enough to acquit himself with credit on Kentucky Derby day, but at this stage it is impossible to be confident that he will. Let's hope the GI Arkansas Derby will provide more information about this likeable colt, who won't reach his actual third birthday until 12 days after the Kentucky Derby.