Tapit Has Opportunity to Build on Belmont Legacy

Gainesway's marquee sire Tapit   is a rare stallion whose legacy includes an especially rare achievement tied to the Belmont Stakes (G1). 

The 25-year-old son of Pulpit is one of only two stallions in the 157-year history of the Belmont to sire four winners of this important American classic and third leg of the Triple Crown series. The only other sire to accomplish this feat is Lexington, who was North America's leading sire by progeny earnings for 14 consecutive years from 1861-74 and then added two more titles in 1876 and 1878.

Lexington sired his first Belmont Stakes winner in 1868 when the race was run at Jerome Park going 1 5/8 miles. His next three winners were King Fisher (1870), Harry Bassett (1871), and Duke Of Magenta (1878). Duke Of Magenta won at what would become the race's more traditional distance of 1 1/2 miles.

Robert Evans' Tonalist   became Tapit's first Belmont winner in 2014, playing the spoiler in California Chrome  's bid to sweep the Triple Crown. Bred by Woodslane Farm out of the Pleasant Colony mare Settling Mist, the strapping bay colt underscored his ability to run a route of ground by winning consecutive editions of the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) in 2014-15.

The wait was not long for Tapit's runners to shine again at Belmont Park the first Saturday in June.

Creator , who raced for WinStar Farm and Bobby Flay, captured his second career grade 1 win in the Belmont in 2016. The gray or roan colt had previously won the Arkansas Derby (G1), then ran unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (G1) before prevailing at Belmont Park. Mt. Brilliant Broodmares bred Creator out of the Peruvian-bred multiple group winner Morena, who ran third in the 2009 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) and was runner-up that year in three other graded stakes.

Tapwrit , another gray/roan colt, made it two Belmont winners in a row for Tapit in 2017 and delivered a third Belmont victory for trainer Todd Pletcher. Tapwrit was raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Robert LaPenta, and Bridlewood Farm, later joined in partnership by Gainesway Stable and Whisper Hill Farm. My Meadowview bred Tapwrit out of grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal), who won the 2006 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at 2 and 2007 Silverbulletday Stakes (G3) at 3.

Godolphin homebred Essential Quality   is Tapit's most recent Belmont winner, having captured the Test of the Champion in 2021 after running fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) but later moved up to third following the disqualification of Medina Spirit. Essential Quality added emphasis to his Belmont victory by going on to win the Travers Stakes (G1). Godolphin bred Essential Quality, also a gray/roan horse, out of the Elusive Quality daughter Delightful Quality, a grade 3-placed winner and runner-up in five other black-type stakes. While the dams of Tonalist and Creator both excelled at distances of 1 1/8 miles and longer, Delightful Quality did her best running at 6 and 7 furlongs.

Tapit will not be represented by a starter in this year's Belmont, being run June 6 at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga Race Course because of renovation at Belmont Park, but he will be represented through two runners by his son Constitution  .

Constitution is the sire of this year's contenders Chief Wallabee , a grade 1-placed winner and homebred for Mike and Katherine Ball, and Repole Stable's winner Powershift .

The success of Tapit's progeny in the Belmont and a particularly strong affinity among certain tail-male sire lines among Belmont winners may give Constitution's runners an edge and further enhance Tapit's legacy in this race.

Most importantly, Constitution has already sired a Belmont winner. His son Tiz the Law   captured the Belmont during a COVID-19-ravaged 2020 racing year that saw the Belmont run before the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (G1), which got moved to September and October, respectively.

As for sire lines, the winners of 39 Belmont Stakes have grandsires who also sired a Belmont winner. These 39 winners account for 25% of all Belmont winners going back to 1867.  

Additionally, 14 Belmont winners have gone on to sire a Belmont winner. These include:

• Duke of Magenta (won in 1878): sired Eric (1889) 
• Spendthrift (1879): Hastings (1896)
• Commando (1901): Peter Man (1907) and Colin (1908) 
• The Finn (1915): Zev (1923)
• Man o' War (1920): American Flag (1925), Crusader (1926), and Triple Crown winner War Admiral (1937)
• Chance Shot (1927): Peace Chance (1924)
• Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox (1930): Triple Crown winner Omaha (1935), Granville (1936)
• Triple Crown winner Count Fleet (1943): Counterpoint (1951), One Count (1952)
• Sword Dancer (1959): Damascus (1967)
• Triple Crown winner Secretariat (1973): Risen Star (1988)
• Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew (1977): Swale (1984), A.P. Indy (1992)
• A.P. Indy (1992): Rags to Riches (2007)
• Thunder Gulch (1995): Point Given (2001)
• Birdstone (2004): Summer Bird (2009)

Tapit is a grandson of A.P. Indy through Pulpit, so this sire line from Seattle Slew (A.P. Indy's sire) has already produced eight Belmont winners, beginning with Seattle Slew's son Swale in 1984.

In addition to sire affinity, Tapit's progeny seem to thrive in the Belmont for all the same reasons they have succeeded in elite races around the world. Tapit is currently the leading active North American sire by number of Northern Hemisphere graded/group stakes winners with 106. He also earned three consecutive leading North American sire titles by progeny earnings for 2014-16.

"Tapit equals the record as a sire of Belmont winners because of his ability to produce a racehorse with the perfect mix of speed and stamina," said Brian Graves, general manager for Gainesway. "It has been the main reason for his success overall. Also, he instills a lot of heart and desire to win in his offspring. It is great to see that continue through one of his best sons, Constitution."

It is curious that Tapit's runners have not fared as well in either the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness. At best, he has two third-place finishers in the Derby with Tacitus   (2019) and Essential Quality and two third-place finishers in the Preakness with Divining Rod  (2015) and Sandman  (2025).

David Fiske, racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds that raced Tapit, said it would be hard to pinpoint why the stallion's progeny has had particular success in the Belmont. Rather, he sees the feat as just another piece of a remarkable stallion career on many levels.

"He sires a big percentage of high-quality horses that go after those kinds of races," he said. "I think it speaks to the overall quality of his offspring. They are very efficient, free-running horses."

Fiske added that he has noticed with Tapit's runners that if a jockey doesn't try to force them to the lead or hold them to rate and just lets them find their stride, then they find a way to win.

"If you don't mess with them and they get into a rhythm that is comfortable for them, they will run all day and they usually have high-cruising speeds. Maybe that makes them more suitable to a race like the Belmont," he said. "But really, it is just one more of the remarkable things he's done throughout his career."