Last on Tapit

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I was just reviewing some of the Triple Crown horses from the last year regarding signs of progress and one horse I focused upon was Tapit, whose later performances pretty much confirmed that about a mile is what he wanted in \"top company\". The Pulpit/Rubiano/Glitterman part of his pedigree was pointing that way for a while.

Dickenson said the following surrounding the 10/24/04 announcement of his retirement:

\"Tapit has been as sound as any horse can be,\" Dickinson said. \"His performance in the Wood Memorial was spectacular.\"

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/search/searchdetail.asp?Section=&RecordNo=50066


I do remember the horse had a four month layoff between his Laurel Futurity win and his first 3 yr old start in the Florida Derby. Thereafter, he ran a very erratic last two panels in the Wood and then, after his non threatening Derby trip, took another four months plus off before his last unplaced start in the Pennsylvania Derby. Well, taking Dickenson at his word that the horse was \"sound\", I don\'t think you can say he was \"healthy\".

[bdhsheets]

The explanation for his erratic run with his head cocked in the Wood was an absessed tooth. [personally I don\'t believe it] They lucked into a GI win vs a very, very weak group.

Both sire and gran-sire have thrown tons of ouchy horses. Sure he was sound MD, whatever you say......

>They lucked into a GI win vs a very, very weak group.<

I agree completely.

I was one of his early fans. I thought he had some potential even though the Wood was a terrible field. He was very lightly raced at the time. However, he never moved forward from there and many others in his class did.

[NoCarolinaTony]

Im just glad he lucked out on the day I bet him in the National Pic 3.

So what is the consencus on MD these days? still a Mad Genious trainer or is he over hyped?

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I don\'t thnk you have to worry about him giving horses experimental things. He\'s gonna feed them Guiness and carrots and train them on hilly turf courses and given the right horse I\'ll bet him with conviction. It seems to me all his work is with unfit horses recently.