By Sid Fernando
When Claiborne’s Pulpit died unexpectedly last December at the age of 18, North America lost one of the strongest and most influential sons of A.P. Indy—the quintessentially classic domestic sire (148 SWs) who had carried on the legacy of his own sire, Seattle Slew (114 Sws), before being pensioned in 2011.
This year Pulpit is represented by 13 SWs and the earners of almost $6 million, and to date he’s responsible for 63 Sws, a number that will increase as his last few crops make it to the races.
More importantly, perhaps, is Pulpit’s own legacy as a sire maker. By A.P. Indy out of Preach, by Mr. Prospector, Pulpit is the sire of numerous successful young sires at various levels, Â but all the way at the top is his son Tapit, who will stand for $150,000 at Gainesway in 2014 after covering mares the last two seasons at $125,000 live foal.
Tapit’s ascension to the elite ranks is notable because he entered stud duty for a fee of only $15,000 live foal. A winner of three of six starts, Tapit won the G3 Laurel Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at 2, and at 3 his only win came in the G1 Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. All told, he earned $557,300.
In some ways, Tapit’s race record was similar to his sire’s. Pulpit also made only six starts, winning four races and earning $728,200—all on dirt. Like Tapit, Pulpit won only two stakes races, also at 1 1/16 and 1 1/8 miles—the G2 Fountain of Youth and the G2 Blue Grass. Unlike Tapit, he didn’t race at 2 or win a G1 race.
Power Broker
Pulpit’s son Power Broker, whose dam is the Wild Again SW Shop Again, will enter stud next year at Hill ‘n’ Dale for $10,000, and we are bullish on him for several reasons.
He, too, has similar racing form to Tapit and Pulpit. A winner of four of 10 starts, Power Broker won his first race in the G1 FrontRunner Stakes at Santa Anita on dirt at 1 1/16 miles by six and a half lengths at 2. His only other stakes win came at 3 in the G2 Indiana Derby at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. He also was second to the talented Verrazano in the G1 Haskell at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. In total, Power Broker earned $865,612 for owners Gary and Mary West.
Perhaps we’re partial to Power Broker as he was one of our highest-rated  “Best of Sale” recommendations at the 2011 Keeneland September sale. Ben Glass, racing manager for the Wests, purchased the colt for $360,000 at the sale—the second-highest price of 21 auction yearlings for Pulpit that year.  This is the same sire-line cross, by the way, that had produced G1 winner Pyro (by Pulpit out of a Wild Again mare) and future G1 winner Joyful Victory (by Tapit out of a Wild Again mare). [Full disclosure: Ben Glass and the Wests are retained clients of ours].
Click here to see what Power Broker’s catalog page looked like then. Note that his dam was a half-sister to three stakes winners, including Power Broker’s closely related G2 winner and G1-placed Tapit colt Trappe Shot—now standing for $10,000 at Claiborne.
What this page doesn’t show, however, is the depth of Power Broker’s and Trappe Shot’s female family. Note here that Power Broker’s fourth dam is the blue hen Lady Be Good, a Phipps family homebred and the ancestress of a family that has produced outstanding stakes winners and sires around the world.
This family, in particular, has crossed well with the Seattle Slew-line, and aside from Power Broker and Trappe Shot, other representatives of Seattle Slew out of mares that trace to Lady Be Good include: G2 winner Sightseeing (by Pulpit); G3 winner Serious Spender (Seattle Slew); G1 winner Awe Inspiring (Slew o’ Gold); and G2 winner Recognizable (Seattle Slew).
Interesting to note, too, that the top broodmare sire Wavering Monarch is from this family, as is young sire Motivator, whose daughter Treve won the Arc this year.
Throw in that Power Broker is standing at the same farm that made Medaglia d’Oro and Candy Ride before those two were moved, and there’s as much to like about this colt’s chances at stud as there were his prospects on the track.