Tapit Colt the ‘Man’ in Nashua

The well-bred Mohaymen ran to his odds and kept his perfect record in tact with a decisive victory in the GII Nashua S. Off a bit slowly, the chalk caboosed the field through an opening quarter in :23.47 and moved into a two-wide third through a half in :46.90. Drawing even with the pacesetter entering the far turn, the juvenile rolled clear in the lane to score his first black-type victory. Flexibility just beat out a stubborn Sail Ahoy for second.

“We were a little worried about the kickback, how he would break, and the others that have had more racing experience than him,” winning conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin said. “But he’s a very talented horse and I’m glad he lived up to the betting public’s odds. He’s got a great pedigree. It’s just great to win for Shadwell Stable, Rick Nichols [General Manager of Shadwell Farm] and everybody in Lexington. I’ve been with them for 22 years, so it’s a special win. We definitely have Derby fever. [His next race] would be the [GII] Remsen [S. at Aqueduct Nov. 28] or the [GII] Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on the same day.”

Co-topping last year’s Keeneland September sale when sold for $2.2 million, Mohaymen was also the heavy favorite in his six-panel unveiling at Belmont Park Sept. 19, where he donned cap and gown by a half-length. (Click here for KEESEP sale story). The gray’s dam Justwhistledixie, who won the GII Davona Dale S. and GII Bonnie Miss S. in 2009 before finishing second in that term’s GI Acorn S., made her mark as a broodmare right away courtesy of her first foal New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}) who captured the 2013 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Mohaymen is her third foal and she has not produced any offspring since, but was bred to Tapit this year. Justwhistledixie’s half-sister Tapas (Tapit) sold to Castleton Lyons for $750,000 during the first session of the Keeneland November sale Monday as part of the Regis Farm dispersal.

Wednesday, Aqueduct
NASHUA S.-GII, $200,000, AQU, 11-4, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.01, ft.
1–#@MOHAYMEN, 116, c, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Justwhistledixie (MGSW & GISP, $449,427), by Dixie Union
2nd Dam: General Jeanne, by Honour and Glory
3rd Dam: Ahpo Hel, by Mr. Leader
($2,200,000 Ylg ’14 KEESEP). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin; J-Junior Alvarado.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $165,000. *1/2 to New
Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}), GISW, $1,154,000. Werk Nick
Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Flexibility, 116, c, 2, Bluegrass Cat–Santa Vindi, by
Vindication. ($80,000 Ylg ’14 SARAUG; $185,000 2yo ’15
FTFMAR). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc. & William H. Lawrence;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (NY); T-Chad C. Brown. $40,000.
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3–Sail Ahoy, 116, c, 2, Bernardini–Matlacha Pass, by Seeking the
Gold. O/B-Phipps Stable (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.
$20,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.10, 2.75, 6.30.
Also Ran: River Dell, Magna Light, Jay’s Way, Pilot House. Scratched: Sunny Ridge.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.