Darby Dan Acquires Breeding Rights to Tapiture

Darby Dan Farm has acquired breeding rights to Winchell Thoroughbreds’s Tapiture (Tapit–Free Spin, by Olympio), who will finish out the rest of his 4-year-old campaign before retiring to stud at Lexington, Kentucky based farm in 2016.

“We are thrilled and extremely grateful to partner with Ron Winchell on Tapiture, who is quite simply one of the most impressive individuals by his sire, Tapit,” said Robert Hammond, Darby Dan Vice Chairman. “Tapiture has proven to be a top-class miler, and he displayed tremendous precociousness to break his maiden in a Grade 2 at Churchill as a 2-year-old, before going on to race in 13 straight Graded stakes. When you combine his physical and sire power with his race record, it’s easy to see why he’s such an exciting stallion prospect.”

Winner of the 2013 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and 2014 GIII Southwest S., the Steve Asmussen pupil also won the GIII Matt Winn S. and GII West Virginia Derby last year. Second to next out GI Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern (Offlee Wild) in the GII Pennsylvania Derby, the chestnut finished a valiant second behind defending champion Goldencents (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Oct. 31.

Tapiture has yet to find the winner’s circle this term, kicking off the season with a fifth in the GIII Razorback H. Mar. 14. Completing the trifecta in both the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 11 and GIII Lone Star Park H. May 25, he most recently appeared in the GIII Cornhusker H. June 27. The colt currently sports a record of 16-4-4-4 and has earnings of $1,476,060. He is pointing again to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

“Darby Dan has such a long and storied tradition of standing top stallions, and we look forward to working with John Phillips, Robert Hammond, and the team to give Tapiture a huge chance at stud,” said Ron Winchell. “From day one, Tapiture has been a favorite. Our racing and farm manager, David Fiske, and Steve Asmussen and his team have always been super high on this colt, and he displayed his brilliance on several occasions as a 2-year-old and as a 3-year-old. There’s no question he’s one of Tapit’s best sons, and breeders are really going to like him when they see him. For us, it’s easy to be fully committed to supporting Tapiture with mares.”

Tapiture will be offered as part of the Share the Upside Program and his stud fee will be announced at a later date.