Malibu Moon Colt a Group Affair

By Jessica Martini
   A trio of high-profile owners will campaign a half-brother to super sire Tapit after joining forces to secure the Keeneland April sale-topping colt by Malibu Moon for $1 million. Antony Beck, whose Gainesway stands Tapit, sitting alongside the farm’s Brian Graves, signed the ticket on hip 55, as Greg Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm sat a row in front and John Panagot, racing manager for Robert LaPenta, sat a row behind. 
    “It’s very seldom that you ever get to have a horse like Tapit on your farm, so when a half-brother comes up with a lot of ability, you really want to try to own the horse if you can,” Beck said. “Greg Goodman is a very close friend of mine, as is Robert LaPenta–who is about the luckiest owner in the world–so we’re really glad to have them both as partners.” 
    Beck, who admitted the seven-figure price tag wasn’t unexpected, said the colt’s breeze in :9 4/5 was a major selling point. 
    “He moved over the ground really easily, just skipped along effortlessly,” he said. “He has tremendous action. Hopefully, he’ll win some stakes for us.” 
    Gainesway partnered with Stonestreet Stables to purchase two yearlings, including a $1.2-million colt by Tapit, last September at Keeneland. 
    Panagot, who also signed for a Medaglia d’Oro colt at $770,000 Monday on behalf of LaPenta, was pleased with the partnership. 
    “They obviously are respected in the business, and they own the hottest stallion in the world right now,” Panagot said of Team Gainesway. “It was an opportunity we were excited about. They seem like nice people and they do a fantastic job.” 
    Chad Brown will train the chestnut colt. 
    Niall Brennan consigned the youngster on behalf of his breeder, Barbara Facchino’s Barouche Stud. 
    “She’s delighted with the sale,” Brennan said. “She is a commercial breeder, obviously she’s in the market, but she’s also sad to see him go. She was in love with him herself. But she is in the selling business–she raises them to sell them. She is delighted with the people who did get him because he’s going to get every shot to be a good horse and hopefully he will be.” 
    Of the colt, Brennan said, “I think it’s early days, but I think he’s worth every penny. If he is as good as I think he is, he’s worth way more than that. He has to go out and prove it now, but he’s been an unbelievable student. He’s so agile and he does things so easily. He is the kind that have the chance to get to that A level, the top level. He is without question that Saturday afternoon exciting proposition. That is what people want. And he has got a pedigree to go with it. There are yearlings to go for that who have never had tack on them. This guy has gone out and done it all. He’s proved he’s got the ability, the tools, the mind and the pedigree. I don’t know what else you look for.” 
    The seven-figure juvenile is out of Tap Your Heels, who RNA’d for $1.8 million at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton November sale while in foal to Elusive Quality. In addition to Tapit, he is a half to multiple stakes placed Overandabeauty (Grand Slam). 
Facchino, who purchased Tap Your Heels for $900,000 in 2002, boards her mares in Kentucky at Gerry Dilger’s Dromoland Farm. Sitting with Dilger after the sale ended, Facchino admitted it was bittersweet to sell the handsome colt.    “But we have to sell to keep the farm going,” she explained. Of the million-dollar colt, she added, “He’s a free-moving, lovely horse. We are absolutely pleased with the sale and pleased he’s going to a good home.” 
    “I loved him as a yearling,” Dilger added of the colt. “He was just a little immature, but the angles were all there and he was very light on his feet. I loved him and I loved his mind; he’d nearly sleep all day for you if you didn’t get him up.” 
    The 18-year-old Tap Your Heels is in foal to Elusive Quality and she has a Medaglia d’Oro yearling filly. Facchino also has a full-sister to Tapit, Caressor (Pulpit), at stud in Ireland. The unraced 5-year-old mare has a yearling colt by Galileo (Ire).