Tapit

A 5-year-old Thoroughbred who auctioned for $800,000 as a yearling is at the center of a "neglect of a horse" case out of Delaware Park. In an Aug. 12 ruling, the stewards at Delaware stated that owner/trainer Alison Escobar disregarded multiple veterinary recommendations by continuing to exercise Ashiham (Tapit), a one-for-eight horse who has changed stables twice after being sold at Keeneland in 2018. Ashiham's lone victory came at Saratoga in 2020 for different connections. "The Stewards were concerned for the health and welfare of Ashiham," the ruling stated in...

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...

Whisper Hill Farm homebred Charge It (Tapit) took another step forward for the GI Runhappy Travers S. with a half-mile breeze Friday at Saratoga. He was clocked in :48.77 for his second drill since a 23-length win in the GIII Dwyer S. July 2 at Belmont for trainer Todd Pletcher. "He went really well, five-eighths by himself in 1:01 and change. He had a super strong gallop out, pulled up the mile in 1:42," Pletcher said. "Essentially, we're trying to follow the same program we did leading up to the...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:39 p.m.   Purchased for $525,000 by trainer Kent Sweezey for R.S. Evans out of this year's OBSAPR sale following a :9 4/5 breeze, ILLICIT (Into Mischief) debuts in this spot. Bred by Evans, she was purchased by Gene Recio for $150,000 at Keeneland September and Evans was so impressed with how she developed, he bought her back. The bay is out of a half-sister to GSW Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) and GSP Private Ensign (A.P. Indy)....

A lack of competitors doesn't always translate to a lack of competition and the GII Shuvee S. at Saratoga is a case in point, with an abbreviated field of four featuring a pair of titans. Fellow Curlin daughters Clairiere and Malathaat will bring their rivalry to round six in the 1 1/8-mile contest at the Spa; the latter coming out on the better end on four prior occasions. Malathaat will be breaking from the gate sporting blinkers for the first time in her career, likely intended to combat her tendency...

The lightly raced 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit), a forgettable 17th with a nightmare trip in the GI Kentucky Derby, put it all together with a jaw-dropping victory in Saturday's GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park. The rail-drawn 3-5 favorite--a green second while making his stakes debut at third asking in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 2-- pressed Fluid Situation (Warrior's Reward) from second while racing in tight quarters along the fence here. Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez bulled his way into the clear after brushing with the...

5th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 7-2, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.94, fm, 5 lengths. CAPENSIS (c, 3, Tapit--Tara's Tango {GISW, $806,004}, by Unbridled's Song), the $2-million topper at the covid-impacted 2020 Keeneland September sale, began repaying his powerful ownership group's investment Saturday with a dominant debut win on the grass. A bit chilly on the board at 5-1 having had all his recent preparations at Saratoga, the handsome grey was somewhat sluggish early and settled in second last off the inside. Ridden along on the turn for home, he got going in earnest...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 3:03p.m. ET Carrying the weight of a princely $2 million KEESEP price tag as well as a host of well-known co-owners which includes breeders Stonestreet Farm, Capensis (Tapit) will be unveiled in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of GI Santa Margarita S. winner Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song), he's half to fellow multi-million purchase Alexander Valley (Medaglia d'Oro)--a $2,150,000 buy at KEESEP by Godolphin. Capensis comes into the race off a bullet four furlong move over Saratoga's turf...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. Disarm (c, 2, Gun Runner--Easy Tap, by Tapit) turned it on nicely in the stretch to report home an encouraging third on debut at Churchill Downs June 19. The chestnut's worktab, dating back to late March, was led by a four-furlong bullet in :46 4/5 (1/28) at Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's Louisville base June 6. Outfooted early and under a ride in eighth through an opening quarter...

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-26, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:17.20, ft, 4 lengths. SAINT TAPIT (c, 3, Tapit--Havre de Grace {Horse Of The Year, Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $2,586,175}, by Saint Liam), the fifth foal to race out of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, flashed potential that he might be her most talented foal to date with a convincing first-out success Sunday at Belmont. Showing an above average but not eye-popping worktab, capped by a half-mile gate breeze over this track in :48 4/5 (17/61) June 19, the homebred...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-BEL, $90k, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 2:32p.m. ET Havre de Grace (Saint Liam)'s fourth foal to the races will be unveiled in this spot in the form of 3-year-old Saint Tapit (Tapit), a full-sibling to GIII Molly Pitcher S. victress Graceful Princess. From four others to race, including a half-brother by War Front, all are winners. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred has a steady line of works for Todd Pletcher, including most recently a four furlong move in :48.81 over the main track June 19....

In this new TDN column, Christie DeBernardis will tell the stories of popular and/or accomplished former racehorses who are now enjoying second careers as show horses, track ponies, etc. The first two foals out of the mighty Zenyatta, Cozmic One (Bernardini) and Ziconic (Tapit), never reached the winner's circle during their brief careers on the racetrack, but they are both thriving in their second careers as jumpers and ambassadors for off-track Thoroughbreds. The elder brother, Cozmic One's second career has been well documented in these pages (Cozmic One: Shining New...