Led by Tacitus, Juddmonte's Belmont Stakes day family affair

Juddmonte Farms won the 'Test of the Champion' 16 years ago when Empire Maker spoiled Funny Cide's bid for a Triple Crown in 2003. This year, with homebred Tacitus, it owns the 9-5 morning line favorite for the Belmont Stakes.

As Environs steps up in the Just a Game (G1) and Honest Mischief in the Woody Stephens (G1), Tacitus' run could only be the exclamation point on a big Saturday at Belmont Park for the global racing and breeding operation owned by Saudi Arabia's Prince Khalid bin Abdullah.

Named after an ancient Roman senator, Tacitus was third last out Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Maximum Security. His sire, Tapit, has produced three of the last five Belmont Stakes winners, and dam Close Hatches was voted Champion Older Filly in 2014.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott trains Tacitus, who also won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood Memorial this season.

"Everything has gone smooth since the Derby," said Juddmonte Farms' General Manager Garrett O'Rourke. "He tried really hard and took a lot of the worst of a bad track that day. He's a big horse and to me, that's the biggest factor. Now, Bill seems to be passing on the vibes that the horse has blossomed with the extra time. He's been working well over the Belmont track. We just hope that the extra month and extra fitness can suit him well."

Close Hatches won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps five years ago, defeating Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar and multiple Eclipse Award winner Beholder. 

"The real pride in our operation is the effort that goes into developing these families, sowing the seeds and having it come into fruition," O'Rourke said. "In this case, Close Hatches was one of Prince Khalid's all-time great mares, and it's exciting for her to produce a horse of this caliber."

Just a Game contender Environs, the daughter of prolific Juddmonte sire Dansili, won her North American debut in April at Keeneland by 3 ½ lengths. She then raced back in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile, finishing fourth.

Trained by Chad Brown, who won the past two editions of the one-mile event over the Widener turf course, Environs is out of the Oasis Dream mare Zatsfine, who is a half-sister to Grade/Group 1 winners Proviso and Byword. 

"She's another one with a lovely pedigree," O'Rourke said. "One of the biggest takeaways from our history is bringing over offspring of Dansili and they find improvement over American tracks on firm surfaces. She didn't get that on Derby day. She worked well with Chad's other fillies over the winter at Palm Meadows.

"Obviously, she hasn't yet faced the talent that she will on Saturday, but that's what we'll find out."

Juddmonte has won the Just a Game four times with Antonoe (2017), Proviso (2010), Ventura (2008) and Intercontinental (2004). 

O'Rourke is hoping that Honest Mischief can give farm-favorite dam Honest Lady another Grade 1 winner when he makes his stakes debut in the Woody Stephens. A Grade 1 winner, Honest Lady is out of the prolific Juddmonte broodmare Toussaud, who also produced 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker and Grade 1 winners Chester House and Chisseling. Honest Lady also produced First Defence - the maternal grandsire of Tacitus. 

Honest Mischief enters the Woody Stephens from an eight-length maiden victory at Keeneland, which earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

"Honest Lady was a tremendously campaigned race mare and broodmare, but she's probably the favorite mare of about 80 percent of the farm," O'Rourke said. "She has the temperament of a dog, is very intelligent and just a sweetheart of a mare. It would be great to have a son of hers at a high caliber given her age [23], and a Grade 1 win would make him an excellent stallion prospect. We'd love for him to pull it off." 

O'Rourke has developed a strong connection to the well-bred equine families that he has been fortunate enough to manage over the years. 

"It's one of the real luxuries that people like myself have had in working for Prince Khalid," O'Rourke said. "Great broodmares from generation to generation. You see all of these great broodmares producing runners that share the same traits and same attitudes and they all become like family. There's a connection to people who know them so well. I definitely think it's something that has kept Prince Khalid in the game for 40 years." 

One can look forward to a full sibling to Tacitus in the near future as Close Hatches is again in foal to Tapit. She also has a foal by Curlin on the ground and an unraced 2-year-old filly named Atheer. Named for the Arabic word meaning "highly ranked" or "honorable," Atheer is by Malibu Moon and currently at Juddmonte Farm in Lexington.