Havre de Grace's Saint Tapit Goes Two-for-Two at the Spa

8th-Saratoga, $115,000, Alw, 8-6, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 7f, 1:23.90, gd, 1 1/2 lengths.
SAINT TAPIT (c, 3, Tapit–Havre de Grace {Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,586,175}, by Saint Liam) graduated by four lengths on debut at Belmont June 26 and was favored at 8-5 to repeat here in this first try against winners. With the track freshly sealed after rain poured down over Saratoga, the blue-blooded chestnut tracked from a two-wide third through a :22.93 opening quarter. He drew even with the leader as the half went up in :45.74 and remained on even terms while some four wide turning for home. Saint Tapit kicked it into overdrive halfway to the wire, splashing clear to win by two lengths over a late-running Anejo (Freud). Whisper Hill Farm owner Mandy Pope went to a record-setting $10-million to acquire Horse of the Year and now Hall of Famer Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. She has produced five winners from five foals of racing age with the most accomplished thus far being GSW Graceful Princess (Tapit), $264,474. Havre de Grace was barren when bred to Justify for 2020, but produced a colt by the Triple Crown winner in 2021. She was not bred back following that colt, but visited Into Mischief this spring. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $112,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd Pletcher.