Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit retired to stud in Kentucky
Belmont Stakes winner and millionaire Tapwrit has been retired from racing and will enter stud at Gainesway for a $12,500 stud fee in 2019.
A gray son of three-time leading sire Tapit, Tapwrit was a $1.2 million yearling purchase by Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert V. LaPenta at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.
Tapwrit is out of Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner and multiple graded-stakes producer Appealing Zophie, who is also the dam of 2018 Del Mar Derby (G2) winner Ride a Comet.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Tapwrit captured Gulfstream Park’s one-mile Pulpit Stakes as a 2-year-old.
At 3, Tapwrit set a new stakes record in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby (G2), winning by 4½ lengths in 1:42.36. Following a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby, Tapwrit scored by two lengths in the Belmont Stakes. Tapwrit’s 103 Beyer Speed Figure is the second-highest figure for a Belmont winner in the last decade, behind only American Pharoah’s 105.
“Tapwrit always showed a great deal of ability, but in the Belmont Stakes he demonstrated the class and competitiveness you need to win a classic race,” Pletcher said. “With his outstanding physical and pedigree, Tapwrit certainly has the credentials to be a top sire.”
Eclipse president Aron Wellman said: “Tapwrit gave our partners one of the greatest highs a racehorse owner can have when he won the Belmont Stakes. Tapwrit remains the most expensive yearling Eclipse has ever acquired and formed a partnership for — a strong, well-made, beautiful yearling by champion sire Tapit out of a Grade 1-winning 2-year-old. He rewarded our confidence in him, and I look forward to him rewarding breeders in his new career at stud.”
Tapwrit is available for inspection at Gainesway from 1-2 p.m. daily.
“We are excited to be standing a classic-winning son of Tapit,” said Gainesway president Antony Beck. “Physically, Tapwrit is as impressive of a stallion as you will find. He’s going to have beautiful yearlings and make a tremendous sire.”