A sampling, far from a complete list.
Bubbler
Close Hatches
Authenticity
Baffled
Dayatthespa
Groupie Doll
Diamond Necklace
Fun House
Hard Not To Like
Havre De Grace
Hot Dixie Chick
Just Reward
Love Style
Midnight Lucky
My Miss Aurelia
Ponche de Leona
Rags to Riches
Riposte
Take Charge Brandi
Unrivaled Belle
Wow!
I am a firm believer that there aren’t enough fully qualified mares that should be/need to be bred to the top stallions. 21 mares listed, 16.8% of mares bred in 2016
The rule of thumb for years for commercial breeders was "The mare should be “worth” 5 times stud fee. In Tapit’s case, every mare bred “should” be “worth” at least $1,500, 000. Hardly the case. Not just with Tapit.
Tapit was syndicated when he went to stud. But his “reception” was lukewarm. His breeder and race owner is Winchill Thoroughbreds, (think the Donuts chain) and they kept a LARGE interest in him. So they send a lot of what some may think are lesser mares to him. They’re not paying $300,000+ per “pop”.
No disrespect to Tapit but this list pales in comparison to the mares sent to Northern Dancer, Nijinsky, Danzig, etc. Even Secretariat in his final years.
@gumtree maybe you can answer my question: did Northern Dancer, Nijinksy, Danzig, Secretariat, etc. have the same amount of competition as Tapit does today?
9 stallions over $100K in the US, 10 if you count American Pharoah whose private treaty is likely still in that range.
If each of those stallions maintained a modest book of 100 mares, that would be 1,000 mares who “theoretically” should be “worth” $500K or more according to the market. Yet every single one of those stallions covered well over 100 mares in 2016 (1,561 mares between them to be exact).
Doesn’t seem sustainable… but worrying about these things is well above my pay grade.
Gumtree I hope I made it clear that this is obviously not the full book to Tapit, only some of the recognizable mares to be put to him this year.
Honestly I was tired of typing, there are many more. Whether he is worthy of them or is priced accordingly is not within my purview. 
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Well, my “Wow” was just reminiscing on several wonderful performances, some seen in person, among that group.
I don’t think like a breeder, but a race fan, and TB admirer/old H-J rider/retired guy owner.
And there sure are many Grade 1 and BC winners there.
And know reproduction of that talent hard to reproduce from mom to foal.
But many of these still young as well - early to tell.
Still exciting to see.
Unrivaled Belle has a good start…
I was impressed by the race and produce records as well. :yes:
the funny thing about Tapit was he was not a Secretariat on the track. He mde 6 starts with 3 wins in total, no place, no shows. As a fan, I fell in love with Tapit on Kentucky Derby day. I loved his name, and he was a very striking grey amongst the bays with good bone and a beautiful type. He was 9th that day. He was also 9th out of 12 in his last start in the Pennsylvania Derby.
Tapit’s only notable wins were the G1 Wood Memorial, and the G3 Laurel Futurity. His 1st win came as a maiden special weight.
His race record was rather sub par when comparing him to runners such as Secretariat and Nijinksy so its really no surprise that Secretariat and Nijinksy attracted the elite books they had. We are also comparing 2 different time periods. We live in a day in age where fillies from elite mares are not always raced; and if they are; they barely race. their actual performance on the track does little to affect their offspring sales prices whereas their performance on what they produce is where the money lies. Look at the sale books and see how many offerings come from unraced mares who are from elite lines.
I applaud the owners of mares like Songbird, Vale Dori, Stellar Wind, Champagne Room; who continue to keep these mares out there and prove themselves doing what they are bred to do so long as they are healthy.
Tapit had 93 recorded foals in his first crop in 2006. 24 of them are six figure winners. 3 of them are million dollar winners (one at 4 million). Given his race record it is likely that his first book of mares was not the elite of the elite and he was quite affordable then so many regular-joe breeders could afford to breed their average mares to him in his first, 2nd, third years at stud before his offspring started showing promise on the track.
You forgot Beholder who raced until she was 6 
Champagne Room, IMO, while I like her very much needs to get legged up and back on track and show she’s still “got it” after her surgery for a chip removal and she’s only 3 this year.
Performance on the track isn’t always inherited. Some of the best on track just don’t throw that performance, both mares and stallions. Some offspring outperform their pedigree (California Chrome .
Additionally, mares, given they produce one foal/year, tend to have a more limited impact on future generations than the stallions do.
Late PS - Miss Temple City is 5 although this year she may be saying she’s done racing. Have to see what her connections plan from here on out. Not, to me, like she has anything to prove.
