Tapit line could be prominent in Kentucky Oaks

Perennial leading sire Tapit has a Kentucky Oaks winner on his résumé in Untapable, who won the filly classic and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 2014 to lock up a divisional Eclipse Award. Tapit’s son Tapizar, who stands alongside him at Gainesway, emulated the feat with just his second crop, as Monomoy Girl won the 2018 Oaks and Distaff to secure a championship.

As Tapit continues to emerge as a sire of sires, his sons could be taking aim on the 2020 Kentucky Oaks, as two of them swept the exacta in Saturday’s Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks, one of the final prep races. Tapiture, who stands at Darby Dan Farm, sired the victorious Hopeful Growth, while Tapizar’s daughter Project Whiskey, previously the winner of the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, finished second. Neither Hopeful Growth nor Project Whiskey was an original nominee to the Kentucky Oaks. However, as late bloomers emerging on the road to the Sept. 4 race, they may be made late nominees. The late nominations, for a $500 fee, close Aug. 15. After that, fillies must be supplemented for $25,000 at entry time.

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Tapit, who has sired three Belmont Stakes winners, has his son Enforceable eyeing the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, where he would likely face off with some of Tapit’s grandsons. Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, from the first crop of white-hot young WinStar Farm stallion Constitution, will make his final Kentucky Derby prep this weekend in the Runhappy Travers Stakes. His foes will include Peter Pan winner Country Grammer – from the first crop of Tapit’s first Belmont winner, Tonalist, who stands at Lane’s End. Tonalist is also the sire of Kentucky Oaks hopeful Tonalist’s Shape.