Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Tacitus

Tacitus
Tapit – Close Hatches, by First Defence
Bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte Farms

A long and winding road toward the 2019 Kentucky Derby is making its way toward the finish line. Only a handful of horses in the diverse group of horses preparing to line up for the classic have won multiple graded stakes this season. Tacitus was one of those. He finished as the leader by points in this season’s series of Kentucky Derby qualifying races, and sports one of the most regal pedigrees in this class.

Perennial leading sire Tapit’s ability to produce stamina is not in doubt. He is the sire of three Belmont Stakes winners in Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), and Tapwrit (2017), as well as runner-up Frosted (2015) and third-place finisher Lani (2016) in that oldest and longest American classic. Tapit is also the sire of Eclipse Award champions Hansen, Stardom Bound, and Unique Bella.

Tacitus is the first foal out of the Eclipse Award champion Close Hatches. The daughter of First Defence showed her ability when winning the Grade 2 Gazelle Stakes over eventual Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar. After finishing seventh in the Oaks, Close Hatches finished second in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes before blossoming that summer. She posted Grade 1 victories in the Mother Goose and Cotillion Stakes before finishing second to four-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, with another multiple Eclipse winner – and newly minted Hall of Famer – Royal Delta an also-ran.

Close Hatches returned to win the first four starts of her 2014 campaign. After winning the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, she won the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes by a head over Princess of Sylmar, with Beholder fourth. Close Hatches added the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, and despite tailing off later in the fall, earned her Eclipse title.

Close Hatches traces directly to the great broodmare Best in Show, who has been incredibly influential through her daughters and granddaughters. One shining example is her daughter Better Than Honour, dam of a pair of Belmont Stakes winners in Jazil (2006) and Rags to Riches (2007), plus several other stakes horses.

– Nicole Russo