St. John’s River bred to Tapit

Grade 2 winner St. John’s River, who was second by a neck in the 2011 running of the Kentucky Oaks, was bred to Tapit earlier this year and is due to have her first foal in 2014, trainer Andrew Leggio Jr. said Friday.

St. John’s River, who spent some of her career based in Louisiana, was retired last season following a second-place finish in an allowance at Saratoga. Leggio said St. John’s River now resides at Heaven Trees Farm, the Lexington, Ky., operation of her owner and breeder, Dede McGehee.

St. John’s River, a 5-year-old by Include and a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Panty Raid, won 2 of 10 starts and $613,170. Her biggest win came in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks in 2011. St. John’s River also ran second in that year’s Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks before closing fast against Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

“Her greatest moment was the second in the Kentucky Oaks,” Leggio said. “That was a big deal. Still to this day, if we had broke straight – she was in the 13 post – I think she would have won it easily. It wasn’t to be.”

Tapit, an 8-year-old son of Pulpit and winner of the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in 2004, stands at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky. He is currently ranked eighth on the North American general sire list.