First Black-Type Winners for Tapizar, Dominus

Tip Tap Tapizar scored by a neck in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park Sept. 4, for his first stakes victory, becoming sire Tapizar  's first black-type winner.

Whispering Oaks Farm's Tip Tap Tapizar won at first asking in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs Jun. 11 and went on to finish third in the Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) July 2.

In his next race, the Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II), he was "clobbered" by Recruiting Ready inside the half-mile pole, according to Equibase notes. Although he finished third behind eventual winner Gunnevera, Recruiting Ready, who finished second, was disqualified to fourth place, and Tip Tap Tapizar was moved to second. 

The colt, out of the Storm Cat mare Counterpoise, is trained by Steve Asmussen.

"With his breeding, we expected that he would be able to stretch out," said Asmussen's assistant Toby Sheets. "It looked like he maybe had a bit of traffic down the backside, but coming from a little behind actually worked out best for him. We don't really have anything planned for him next, we'll just enjoy the moment."

Gainesway's Tapizar, by Tapit   out of Winning Call (Deputy Minister), was a multiple graded stakes winner and winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) in his last race before retiring to stud. He stood at Gainesway for a 2016 fee of $15,000.

Spendthrift Farm's Dominus   was also represented by his first black-type winner when All Right held off Parlor to win the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes by a neck Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs.

William Helwig and Brent Gasaway's All Right finished second in his first start at Ellis Park Aug. 14. He is out of the Touch Gold mare Smart Touch.

Dominus, a two-time grade II winner, was named 2012 Virginia champion grass horse. A son of Smart Strike, the freshman sire is out of the graded stakes-placed Cuando. He stood 2016 for a fee of $3,500.