Tapit's Fee Held at $300,000

Leading North American sire Tapit   will have his stud fee for 2017 held steady at an industry-leading $300,000, according to a Nov. 10 announcement by Gainesway.

Tapit is well on-track to take his third consecutive leading North American sire title with progeny earnings exceeding $18 million, which is more than $6.5 million ahead of second-ranked sire Curlin  . Highlights of the racing year including four new grade I winners for the 15-year-old son of Pulpit—Creator, winner of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets; Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta, who dead-heated in the Spinaway Stakes; and Time and Motion, who won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes presented by Lane's End.

Commercially Tapit's yearling average was a robust $629,070. At this year's Keeneland September yearling sale alone, Tapit led the sire ranks with an average of $639,839 and shared the highest median of $575,000 with Claiborne Farm's War Front  .

For the past couple years, Gainesway has been limiting Tapit's book to 135 mares to protect the commercial value of his offspring for breeders. The ceiling is being lowered a bit more for 2017 to 125 mares.

Other fees on the Gainesway roster that have changed include Empire Maker  , whose fee is being lowered to $85,000 from $100,000. Though a proven sire, the son of Unbridled's return from Japan in 2015 makes him similarly positioned in the marketplace to a second-year stallion. The fee was adjusted to continue offering value to breeders as they await his first crop of U.S. foals since 2011. Empire Maker was acquired from Shizunai Stallion Station by Gainesway and Don Alberto.

Currently ranked fourth on the leading freshman sire list, Tapit's son Tapizar   will remain at $15,000 in 2017. Tapizar has 11 winners to date, including Sapling Stakes winner and Saratoga Special (gr. II) runner-up Tip Tap Tapizar and Sanford Stakes (gr. III)-placed Zartera. Tapizar has also sired a pair of maiden winners in Japan, namely the colt Gekirin and filly Mrs Watanabe. He has $738,867 in progeny earnings through Nov. 9.

Other fees that saw changes included Afleet Alex  , who is at $10,000 from $12,500 for 2016; Hat Trick  , whose fee is down to $5,000 from $7,500; and To Honor and Serve  , whose fee was lowered to $10,000 from $15,000.