By Elaine Belval
It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but, as much as I love horse racing I rarely bet. And, as much as I love horse racing, I rarely go to the track (but I love HRTV and TVG!).
In early October, I was in Lexington for the World Equestrian Games and the Genetics Symposium. In between those events, my friend Karen and I attended Sunday’s racing at Keeneland Racecourse, one of the most beautiful courses in the US. We saw Acoma demolish a very nice field in the G1 Spinster S (totally lost money on that race!). We saw Zenyatta’s younger brother Souper Spectacular take a one-other allowance (make some nice change on that race). And we also saw a very impressive two-year-old maiden winner named Dancinginherdreams. The filly was named a “TDN Rising Star†after her five-length victory that day.
Both Karen and I had the filly. She returned to win the G2 Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs on Sunday, October 31. She won that race by five lengths for owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward. She will be heading to the Florida for the winter and is certain to make her mark on the three-year-old races. Dancinginherdreams is the 22nd unrestricted SW Tapit has sired, the tenth this year (eight are first-time SWs). Bred by Nancy Shuford, she is out of Mayan Milagra by Menifee. She is the fourth SW that Tapit has with Storm Cat-line mares, joining G1 winners Careless Jewel, Tell a Kelly and SW Bearcatt.
With four SWs, two G1, and one G2 SW, the cross of Tapit over daughters of Storm Cat-line mares exemplifies the A+++ nick rating. Tapit currently ranks 14th on the General Sire List (his first crop are only four-year-olds!). He ranks first on the Third Crop Sire List (through Nov.20; and what a grouping that is, with Speightstown and Medaglia d’Oro behind him). In July of this year I wrote Tapit is quickly becoming one of the most successful and versatile stallions in the US. That might have been an understatement. Tapit stands at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky, and it was announced that his fee would rise from $50,000 to $80,000. He’s earned it!
(Elaine Belval is Senior Pedigree Analayst for WTC.)