Never Knock, Dam of Pleasant Tap and Go for Gin, Dies

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Never Knock, dam of champion Pleasant Tap and classic winner Go for Gin, died three days after delivering an A.P. Indy filly on March 2 at William du Pont III's Pillar Stud near Lexington. Owned by du Pont's wife, Pamela Darmstadt du Pont, the 22-year-old mare suffered from foaling complications and died from hemorrhaging. The filly has been placed on a nurse mare.

Never Knock, a fourth generation descendant of La Troienne, was bred by Thomas Mellon Evans. She captured only two of 16 races before entering Evans' broodmare band. Her first foal failed to win, but her second offspring, Pleasant Tap, went on to earn $2,721,169 and be voted champion older male of 1992 for Evans. Pleasant Tap, by Pleasant Colony, won two grade I stakes, and his stakes-placings included the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) and Sprint (gr. I). He stands at stud at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky.

Pamela Darmstadt du Pont bought Never Knock (in foal to Smarten) in the name of Pillar Stud from Evans for $52,000 at the 1987 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Never Knock's third foal for Darmstadt was Go for Gin, who won the 1994 Kentucky Derby for William Condren and Joseph Cornacchia. Go for Gin, who ran second in the Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) Stakes, earned $1,380,866. He stands at stud at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.

Never Knock (Stage Door Johnny -- Never Hula, by Never Bend) produced 10 named foals, along with her newborn A.P. Indy filly and an unnamed 2-year-old Deputy Minister colt.

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