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April 26 worked five furlongs at Tapeta Farm in 1:06.80 seconds, breezing over a fast all weather course
April 21 worked five furlongs at Tapeta Farm in 1:00.60 seconds, breezing over a firm turf course
April 8 worked four furlongs at Tapeta Farm in :51.20 seconds, breezing over a good turf course
April 3 worked one mile at Tapeta Farm in 1:47.40 seconds, breezing on a fast track
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Graded Earnings: $530,000 (as of 5.01.2004)
Race Record 5-3-0-0
Tapit Barn Notes: Tapit's Diet Of Guiness "Whets His Appetite"
Tapit Barn Notes: Tapit Has First Pre-Derby Exercise Over Churchill Surface
Tapit Barn Notes: Tapit To Ship To Churchill Wednesday
Tapit Barn Notes: Tapit Works 5/8 At Tapeta Farm
Tapit Update: Tapit Breezes On The Turf At Tapeta Farm
Tapit News: Tapit Comes From Last To Claim Wood Memorial
Tapit News: Cuba Joins Wood Memorial Cast
Tapit News: Tapit Shows Class In Laurel Park Work
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Won the 1 1/16 miles Laurel Futurity (G3) by 4 ¾ lengths on November 15
Broke his maiden in his first start, going one mile, by 7 ¾ lengths at Delaware Park on October 19
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Finished ninth in Kentucky Derby 130 on May 1
Won the 1 1/8 miles Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct on April 10
Ran sixth in the 1 1/8 miles Florida Derby (GI) at Gulfstream Park March 13 |
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TAPIT will be on the favorites after an eye-catching win in the Wood Memorial last out. The gray son of Pulpit showed great acceleration but was still a little bit green in the lane as he looked around at the crowd. That means he has great room for improvement and he will need to improve as the Wood Memorial was the slowest of the major preps. Trainer Michael Dickinson is one of the most innovative and outstanding trainers in America and he's gone so far as to import grass from his Tapeta farm so Tapit can continue grazing the way he usually does. Like the way he is working coming to the race and rider Ramon Dominguez is the most underrated rider in America - bar none. This colt should run the race of his life and will win the Derby if he gets a clean trip and is good enough. Those are big ifs but any way you slice it he rates a strong chance. |
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Tapit is by Pulpit, who currently stands stud at Claiborne Farm, which also raced and bred the flashy bay stallion. Pulpit burst onto the 1997 Triple Crown scene with stunning maiden and first level allowance victories. He went on to take the Fountain of Youth (G2) and finish second in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream. He completed his prep races with a victory in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. The Kentucky Derby, in which he finished fourth against one of the stronger fields in that race in the last ten years, turned out to be his last race due to an injury suffered during the Run For The Roses. With three crops of racing age, Pulpit has sired 8 stakes winners, including 2002 Eclipse Juvenile finalist Sky Mesa, winner of the Hopeful Stakes (G1) and the Breeders’ Futurity (G2); and Stroll, winner of the Jamaica Handicap (G2). Pulpit is by A.P. Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Year and Derby favorite of the same year, but he was scratched the morning of the race when he was found to have a foot bruise. Tapit is the first foal out of his dam Tap Your Heels (she has as 2002 filly that is also by Pulpit). Her only win came as a maiden in a stake as a two year old, when she captured the restricted Hildene Stakes. She raced primarily in sprints, but being by Unbridled, her offspring should take to the classic distances. She is also a half-sister to champion sprinter Rubiano, another flashy gray who won seven graded stakes. Interestingly, Tapit comes from a long line of grays: there are eight generations of grays in his tail-female line.
Dosage Index: 1.80
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