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Gainesway’s 2022 Roster Led by Tapit

Gainesway's perennial leading sire Tapit (Pulpit–Tap Your Heels, by Unbridled) will once again head the farm's stallion roster and stud fees for the upcoming 2022 season. Tapit will remain at $185,000 live foal, stands and nurses. Currently among the top five North American stallions on the leading sires list of 2021, Tapit has three year-end leading sire titles and is North America's leading sire of Grade I winners with 27, Grade I performers with 58, graded stakes winners with 92, graded stakes horses with 177, and stakes performers with 284. Tapit leads all active sires in nearly every category, including progeny earnings of more than $175 million, which makes him the richest American stallion in history. He continues to scale new heights, with a record-tying fourth GI Belmont S. win this summer by 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality, who will be among the favorites in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

Four-time Grade I winner McKinzie (Street Sense–Runway Model, by Petionville), who bred 214 mares in his first book in 2021, will also hold at his fee of $30,000 for 2022. McKinzie posted 11 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures–more than 60% of his career starts-and won Grade I races at two, three, and four.

Also slated to see his first foals in 2022 is GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run (Hard Spun–Yawkey Way, by Grand Slam), who gets a fee reduction from $12,500 in 2021 to $10,000 in 2022.

Previously announced as new to Gainesway for 2022 is MGISW Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}–Rosa Bonheur, by Mr. Greeley), who will make his final career start in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Mile. He will stand for $10,000.

Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein–Sun Is Up, by Sunday Silence), one of the top third-crop sires by percentage of stakes winners and graded stakes winners, will stand for $10,000 and will be joined in the Gainesway barn by two sons of Tapit in Tapwrit (Tapit–Appealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal) and Anchor Down (Tapit–Successful Outlook, by Orientate). Tapwrit, a $1.2-million yearling and GI Belmont S. winner, will have his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2022. Nearly 20% of his first-crop yearlings brought 10x his 2021 stud fee. Tapwrit will stand for $10,000. With his first crop of 3-year-olds this year, Anchor Down has 14% stakes horses and will stand for $5,000. Veteran Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet–Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster), who stands for a private fee, rounds out the Gainesway roster.

Stallion, Fee (LFSN)

Afleet Alex–Private
Anchor Down–$5,000
Karakontie (Jpn)–$10,000
McKinzie–$30,000
Raging Bull (Fr)–$10,000
Spun to Run–$10,000
Tapit–$185,000
Tapwrit–$10,000

The post Gainesway’s 2022 Roster Led by Tapit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Spanish Loveaffair Scores Upset In Pebbles Stakes At Belmont

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Hernon, and Gary Barber's Spanish Loveaffair posted her first victory in more than a year, besting a stacked field that included eight stakes winners in Sunday's $150,000 Pebbles for 3-year-old fillies going one mile over firm Widener turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Spanish Loveaffair, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, entered the Pebbles off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21 over a yielding turf at Saratoga, where she hit the gate at the start, stalked the pace from second, and came up empty in the stretch. On Saturday, the now three-time winner regained her triumphant form.

Breaking from post 10 under Junior Alvarado, Spanish Loveaffair rated a close third to the outside of Jordan's Leo, while Spirit of Bermuda commanded the field down the backstretch. Nearing the far turn, through a half-mile in :49.25, Spanish Loveaffair inched her way into second and leveled up to even terms with the pacesetter a few strides outside the quarter-pole.

Spirit of Bermuda dug in gamely in upper stretch, but ultimately gave way as Spanish Loveaffair drew off to a 2 ¼-length score in a final time of 1:35.82. Jordan's Leo finished second, one length ahead of Runaway Rumour in third.

Spanish Loveaffair earned her second career stakes victory after capturing the Sharp Susan in August 2020 on firm going at Gulfstream Park. She crossed the wire first in her seasonal bow in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride on February 27 over firm footing at the South Florida oval, but was disqualified to fourth. She earned graded stakes black-type when finishing second in the Grade 2 Jessamine in October 2020 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the Grade 3 Regret on May 29 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Off at 30-1, Spanish Loveaffair rewarded her backers in $2 win payouts of $63.

The Pebbles was the first time Spanish Loveaffair had run over firm going since the Herecomesthebride.

“I thought with it being dry that she'd run well,” said Casse assistant Shane Tripp. “She's got enough speed to put herself in the race and Junior did a great job riding her. She's a miler through and through. I'm really proud of her.”

Alvarado said he was confident Spanish Loveaffair could outrun her odds.

“I couldn't believe the price,” Alvarado said. “I was talking with Shane and I thought we looked sneaky good in here. We weren't the favorite – I knew that for sure – but on paper she didn't look like a 30-1 shot.

“She ran great on firm turf at Gulfstream and today she got firm ground and ran very well,” Alvarado continued. “I was trying to hustle out of there because I didn't have a good post, so I had to try and get some position in the first part of the race. I followed in second and we were going pretty slow, so I wasn't in a rush at that point. I was taking my time to make sure I had enough horse to finish the race and she responded very well.”

Alvarado said the cutback in distance suited Spanish Loveaffair.

“A little turn back helped her for sure,” Alvarado said. “She's been running with tough company and she had a couple races where she didn't run that well, but it was soft turf. I had to hope with a little firmer turf she was going to run much better.”

Rounding out the order of finish were Our Flash Drive, Plum Ali, Spirit of Bermuda, Nazuna, Minaun, Third Draft, Keeper of Time, and Lovestruck.

Spanish Loveaffair enhanced her lifetime earnings to $236,590 after banking $55,000 in victory. The Karakontie bay's record now stands at 10-3-2-0. Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Spanish Loveaffair is out of the Unusual Heat mare Spanish Bunny, making her a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Spanish Queen. She was bought for $35,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by her breeder.

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Live racing resumes on Thursday with a nine-race card. First post is 2:05 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Spanish Loveaffair Scores Upset In Pebbles Stakes At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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PR Back Ring Book 1, Keeneland September: Which Stallion-Making Races Make The Best Stallions?

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

The latest issue of the PR Back Ring is now online, looking ahead to Book 1 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The PR Back Ring is the Paulick Report's bloodstock newsletter, released ahead of, and during, every major North American Thoroughbred auction. Seeking to expand beyond the usual pdf presentation, the Back Ring offers a dynamic experience for bloodstock content, heavy on visual elements and statistics to appeal to readers on all platforms, especially mobile devices.

Here is what's inside this issue…

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

Lead Feature Presented By Gainesway: Meredith Daugherty polls the decision-makers at major Kentucky stallion operations about which Grade 1 races for 3-year-olds hold the most weight when assessing potential stallion prospects.
Stallion Spotlight: Sean Tugel of Gaineseway discusses young sire Karakontie, who is getting notable winners on both surfaces.
Honor Roll Presented By Keeneland: Breeder Sabrina Moore reflects on the journey Knicks Go has taken from a $40,000 yearling at the Keeneland September sale to an earner of more than $5.3 million.
Ask Your Insurer Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Bryce Burton of Muirfield Insurance goes into the details of covering yearlings, including notable dates and endorsements.
Second-Crop Sire Watch: Stallions whose second crops of yearlings are represented in the Keeneland September catalog, including the number of horses cataloged and the farm where the stallion is currently advertised.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ISSUE OF THE PR BACK RING

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Princess Grace Overcomes Slow Start To Win Ladies Turf At Kentucky Downs

Over a firm course at Kentucky Downs, Susan and John Moore's Princess Grace broke last from the starting gate, patiently waited for an opening in the stretch, and held off challengers to win the Grade 3 Ladies Turf at the Franklin, Ky., racetrack.

The 4-year-old filly went into the gate as the post time favorite, but broke a step slow from the second post to run toward the back of the field of nine early. Florent Geroux kept the filly on the rail as Sara Sea set early fractions of :23.02 for the first quarter and :46.06 for the half-mile. As they approached the last bend, Princess Causeway pulled even with Sara Sea, Princess Grace behind them on the rail.

Into the stretch, Sara Sea held on to a short lead over Princess Causeway, the field spread five wide across the straight, as Geroux took advantage of an opening between horses, angling Princess Grace out from the rail. The favorite accelerated, taking over the lead, and putting space between her and challengers rushing up on her outside.

As they closed in on the wire, Geroux was able to keep Princess Grace clear of the field, with Dalika closing fast on her outside. At the wire, it was the favorite by a half-length, with Dalika second and Abscond third.

The final time for the one-mile Ladies Turf was 1:34.25.

Princess Grace paid $4.20, $2.60, and $2.20. Dalika paid $4.40 and $3.00. Abscond paid $3.40.

By Karakontie out of the Silent Name mare Masquerade, Princess Grace was bred in Kentucky by her owners. She is trained by Michael Stidham. Her win in the G3 Ladies Turf gives her a perfect 3 for 3 record in 2021, for a lifetime record of six wins in seven starts.

The post Princess Grace Overcomes Slow Start To Win Ladies Turf At Kentucky Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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