Tapit Shatters Single-Season Earnings Mark

Gainesway sire Tapit   set the single-season earnings record for a North American-based sire Oct. 31, when Untapable won the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.

Tapit entered the day needing less than $755,000 to break the record set by Smart Strike   in 2007 of $14,358,570. Tapit picked up $180,000 with a runner-up finish by Tapiture in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) and then Untapable added another $1.1 million with her victory in the Distaff. 

Tapit's earnings through Oct. 31 will surge past $14.8 million for the 2014 season. Tapit stood the 2014 season at Gainesway in Lexington for $150,000.

"He just continues to deliver the goods; he's the king of stallions in North America," said Gainesway director of sales Michael Hernon.



Hernon noted that Tapit has enjoyed success with younger horses and older, male and female, and his runners have succeeded on dirt, turf, and synthetic surfaces.

"He's a gift," Hernon said.

Tapit was raced by Winchell Thoroughbreds, and the family retains a half-interest in the stallion. 

"The reason we're here today is because of Tapit," said Ron Winchell after Untapable's Distaff victory. "That kind of sums it up. He's brought us here now with two Breeders' Cup winners (Tapizar  , winner of 2012 Dirt Mile); so I really give him credit for making all of it look easy for us. He does deserve the credit."

"He was a phenomenal race horse when he was running. He didn't have a long career for various reasons, but today he gets all the credit in my mind."

Untapable is Tapit's fifth Breeders' Cup winner and he moves into 10th on the all-time Breeders' Cup earnings list. His other three winners are 2011 Grey Goose Juvenile (gr. I) winner Hansen, 2008 Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner Stardom Bound, and 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly.

His 2014 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Tonalist will start in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.