Tapit

6th-Belmont, $61,110, Msw, 9-19, 2yo, 1m, 1:37.56, ft. LIKEABLE (c, 2, Frosted--Dashing Debby {SW}, by Medaglia d'Oro) endured a fairly eventful trip in his rained-off Saratoga debut Aug. 22, racing wide on the turn and striking final-furlong interference before just missing by a head. Stretching out to a mile and remaining on the dirt for this second try, the $350,000 yearling was the 23-10 second choice to odds-on Engrave (Flatter) and jumped well to head them off out of the chute. Always going better than the chalk, Likeable began to...

Three Chimneys Farm and Harrell Ventures LLC's Stayin' Out Late (Tapit) was sent off at a chilly-on-the-board 21-5 in Friday's seventh race at Churchill Downs, but the well-bred chestnut turned the 6 1/2-furlong affair into a procession, galloping away to score by 7 3/4 lengths. Away without incident from the inside gate, the son of GSW Graeme Six (Graeme Hall) made the lead with a minimum of fuss and was allowed a soft time of it up front, covering the opening quarter in :23.66 and the half in a route-like...

by Brian DiDonato, Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY--With four of the day's nine million-dollar-plus horses selling in the final dozen or so hips to be offered, the second and final session of Book 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale finished strong. The session topper and likely sale topper was hip 435, a son of Tapit out of the GISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song) offered by Eaton Sales on behalf of Stonestreet Bred & Raised and acquired by a partnership between Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners,...

Yearlings by a pair of this country's most prominent sires and each the produce of 'TDN Rising Stars' sold minutes apart late during the second session at Keeneland September to close the day as the top two lots. First through the ring was hip 435, a son of Tapit out of Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song), who brought the hammer down at an even $2 million. The colt will be campaigned by a powerhouse partnership including Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert LaPenta, Gainesway and Ron Winchell. Stonestreet will also retain an interest....

by Brian DiDonato, Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY--A Tapit filly out of GISW Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) topped the opening session of Keeneland's September yearling sale on a $1.25-million bid by Claiborne Farm's Bernie Sams. The bay was consigned to the auction as hip 149 by Bluewater Sales LLC, Agent XVI, on behalf of breeder China Horse Club. While stringent COVID-19 protocols put in place to allow the world's largest yearling sale to be held at all may have dulled some of the electricity typically felt in...

   A Tapit filly out of the 2015 GI Alabama S. heroine Embellish the Lace (Super Saver) caught the attention of a number of high-end buyers, and was ultimately landed Sunday by Claiborne Farm's Bernie Sams, who was bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client of the storied nursery. The bay was consigned to the sale by Bluewater Sales as hip 149 and offered on behalf of her breeder, China Horse Club.     "He's bought a couple mares and he bought a nice yearling filly last year," Sams said...

Essential Quality (Tapit) overcame some mid-stretch traffic trouble and shot away from his rivals to easily capture Saturday's fourth race at Churchill Downs and earn 'TDN Rising Star' status in the process. Bet into 19-10 favoritism in what appeared to be a strong race on paper, the Godolphin homebred broke without incident and settled in about sixth position down the backstretch racing in about the four path. Sent along to split horses at the 2 1/2-furlong pole, he was full of run, but was forced to steady sharply while short...

Three of Ashford Stud's Grade I-winning stallions will be in the limelight in the coming weeks as they are represented by their first crop of yearlings in the sales ring. Three-time GIW Practical Joke (Into Mischief), the regally-bred Cupid (Tapit) and juvenile champion Classic Empire (Pioneerof the Nile) all ranked amongst the top of their class with the sale of their weanlings, and now look to continue the streak with their yearlings. We sat down with Coolmore's Adrian Wallace and discussed two of the young sires. [tdn_vimeo_embed title="Cupid and Classic...

Michael Hernon, who served as Gainesway Farm's Director of Sales for the past 24 years, has launched his own bloodstock agency, Michael Hernon Bloodstock LLC. Starting in the mid-1990s, Hernon managed the stallion books of sires including Broad Brush, Cozzene and Mt. Livermore. More recently, he oversaw the books of leading sires Tapit and Empire Maker, as well as the emerging young sire Karakontie (Jpn). "Two decades of selling at the highest level of the stallion market was a rare experience, but as Gainesway expanded their bloodstock sales agency, I...

'TDN Rising Star' Thoughtfully (Tapit) continued a red-hot run with juveniles for trainer Steve Asmussen as she powered away a convincing winner of the GII Adirondack S. Wednesday at the Spa. Off since airing by 8 3/4 lengths at odds-on first out at Churchill June 11, the $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase prepped for this by firing a five-furlong bullet in 1:00.91 over the strip Aug. 3 in company with unraced colt Calibrate (Distorted Humor) (XBTV Video). Pounded down to 4-5 from a 2-1 morning line quote, the dark bay tucked...

'TDN Rising Star' Thoughtfully (Tapit) looks to prove her 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy unveiling was no fluke in Wednesday's GII Adirondack S. at Saratoga. The $950,000 FTSAUG purchase romped by 8 3/4 lengths on debut at Churchill Downs June 11 and enters off a best-of-14 five-panel bullet at the Spa in 1:00 4/5 Aug. 3. Make Mischief (Into Mischief)  won on debut against fellow Empire-breds June 18 at Belmont and was second last out in this venue's GIII Schuylerville S. July 16. She is favored on the morning-line to make amends...

2nd-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-9, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.94, fm. SEASONS (f, 2, Tapit--Winter Memories {MGISW, $1,268,100}, by El Prado {Ire}) got the job done in her much-anticipated first start Sunday, but not without plenty of drama. The regally bred filly showed a very upbeat worktab leading up to this unveiling, punctuated by a :48.79 bullet over the Oklahoma turf Aug. 3 (XBTV Video), and was backed down to 4-5 from an already telling 9-5 morning line prediction. Away in good order, the chestnut took up a stalking spot along...