Tapit

Back on the hamster wheel, everybody. You know the drill. Usual freshman hype, please. Just remember to change the names--and not to dwell too unhelpfully on how things played out for those being talked up four or five years ago. But the legitimate, perennial challenge of the yearling circuit also abides, and likewise much of its color and character. Just not quite all. Not enough time has elapsed, certainly, to heal one aching void. For many of his compatriots, in particular, every barn we enter we still half-expect to hear...

Just a week after her younger brother Batten Down took the GIII Ohio Derby, 'TDN Rising Star' Scylla (Tapit) kept the family's good fortune going with a strong win in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday. The 4-5 favorite stutter-stepped slightly coming out of the gate and was at the tail of the field behind fractions of :24.07 and :48.83. Still last into the far turn, the bay filly made rapid progress while five wide approaching the stretch. She drifted in slightly in upper stretch,...

2nd-BAQ, $100k, Alw, 3yo/up, 1m, post time: 2:06 p.m. EDT The word was out on DONEGAL MOMENTUM (Uncle Mo) for his local debut over six muddy furlongs May 16, and he ran to the money, shooting clear in the stretch to graduate by a whopping 8 1/4 lengths and earning a strong 92 Beyer Speed Figure to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. A $375,000 Keeneland September purchase in 2022, the dark bay colt looks to negotiate a mile from the inside gate Thursday afternoon. Javier Castellano has a return...

You could say Batten Down has a little bit of family legacy to live up to. The son of champion Close Hatches took a step towards doing just that Saturday at Thistledown with a gate-to-wire win in the GIII Ohio Derby. The full-brother to both MGSW/MGISP Juddmonte sire Tacitus and to GSW Scylla took four tries to break his maiden, finally winning by 8 3/4 emphatic lengths last out at Churchill Downs going 1 1/4 miles Apr. 30. Saturday's Ohio Derby was his first step up from the maiden ranks...

2nd-BAQ, $100k, Alw, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:04 p.m. ET UNMATCHED WISDOM (Cairo Prince) caught a muddy local strip and the outside post for his one-mile debut May 10, but turned in an eye-catching performance in scoring by better than six lengths while earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure that is 12 points higher than any number posted by any of his five rivals in this first-level allowance. From the deeper female family of Stormy Atlantic, Bandini and three-time G1 Dubai Turf winner Lord North (Ire), the sophomore colt cost just...

While Ashford young gun Justify was busy making waves over the pond this weekend, it was Gainesway's time-tested sire royalty who quietly added to his legacy on American shores. No matter how you slice it, one stallion in North America--and only one--leads all active lifetime sires by every major category, be it earnings, black-type winners, graded winners, Grade I winners, and even lifetime starters and winners. Unmatched among living active sires, Tapit hasn't had bigger crops than the other stallions on the list (he ranks third among the top 10...

Juddmonte homebred SCYLLA (f, 4, Tapit--Close Hatches, by First Defence) gave notice she'll be one to watch in the older mare division this year with a facile score in Churchill's GIII Shawnee S. Saturday. It marked the first stakes victory for the 'TDN Rising Star' following a seven-length blowout and 93 Beyer figure in a one-mile optional allowance over the surface on GI Kentucky Derby day. Last year's GII Mother Goose S. and GIII Falls City S. winner Xigera (Nyquist), fifth behind Juddmonte's champion Idiomatic (Curlin) in the May 3...

1st-Churchill Downs, $116,625, Msw, 5-31, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.95, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. ADEERA (f, 2, Authentic--Majestic Presence {GSP-USA, MSP-Can, $227,896}, by Majestic Warrior) became the first winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief) Friday. The second choice at 8-5 behind fellow first-timer Salted (Tapit) at 4-5, the half-sister to GISW Newgate (Into Mischief) took it right to the favorite from the jump and the top pair quickly opened up a sizeable gap back to the rest of the field. Neck and neck off the far turn, it...

1st-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 12:45p.m. SALTED (Tapit) debuts for Gary Barber, Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbreds and trainer Mark Casse. A $760,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, the Don Alberto Corp.- bred filly is out of GI La Troienne S. scorer Salty (Quality Road), who brought $3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2018. Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the mount. Also marking her career bow, Adeera (Authentic), a $300,000 KEESEP yearling purchase for L and N Racing and Jerry Caroom, is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be...

A seven-digit yearling turned new 'TDN Rising Star', Prides Crossing (Quality Road) left her rivals in her wake en route to a stylish unveiling at Churchill Downs Saturday. The newest 'Rising Star' came into this contest riding a three-strong string of bullet five-furlong works at The Thoroughbred Center with her last four of five being the fastest on the morning. The most recent was a May 17 move clocked in 1:01.00. Stalking the pace from third as She's It (Omaha Beach) put up :22.63 and :46.30 early splits, the 3-1...

Old Friends, which will host its 19th Annual Homecoming Event on Sunday, May 5, has opened absentee bidding for a number of halters featured in a live and silent auction. Halters previously worn by Afleet Alex, Candy Ride (Arg), Channel Maker, Feathered, Gun Runner, I'll Have Another, Lava Man, Sea Hero, Serena's Song, Silver Charm, Silver State, Sky Mesa, and Tapit are available, with most accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. To bid, email your name, address, and phone number along with your highest bid to: horses@oldfriendsequine.org. The final deadline...

1st-Santa Anita, $54,000, Msw, 4-21, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 7f, 1:23.90, ft, neck. JANE AUSTEN (f, 3, Tapit--Shayjolie {SW & MGSP, $415,843}, by Indian Charlie), sent off at 5-1 for this unveiling, broke well and was eased back but she eagerly tugged her way up upon the heels of pacesetters Quick Brown Fox (Justify) and Queen of Naples (Hard Spun) through a :22.58 quarter. Requiring racing room and finding it turning for home, Jane Austen closed on the stubborn leader late and forged past Quick Brown Fox to graduate by a...