The Secret to Tapit's Success

by Anne Peters
During the first weekend in February, he was represented by three graded stakes winners: Flashback, Honorable Dillon, and Tapicat.

Tapit Hits Graded Stakes Trifecta

Gainesway Farm's Tapit has three graded stakes winners in the span of about two hours Feb. 2. His winners, all 3-year-olds, came at Tampa Bay Downs, Santa Anita, and Gulfstream.

Baffert's Flashback Makes Lewis Look Easy

Trainer Bob Baffert viewed the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II) as a scrimmage for untested Flashback, and the talented son of Tapit proved he was ready for tougher with an easy tally at Santa Anita Park Feb. 2.

Sadler Happy for Switch After Bringing $4.3M

John Sadler, who guided Switch through a career in which she earned more than $1.4 million, was proud as a peacock when the Quiet American mare was sold Nov. 5 at the Fasig-Tipson select mixed sale for $4.3 million.

GI Winner Zazu Fetches $2.1M at Keeneland

Dual grade I winner Zazu fetched $2.1 million from Katsumi Yoshida's Japan-based Northern Farm at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Nov. 6. She was consigned by William S. Farish's Lane's End, agent.

Fasig-Tipton November Wrap

Esther Marr reviews the Fasig-Tipton November sale and the purchase of Havre de Grace. Also, comments from Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning.

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Amazing Grace at Fasig-Tipton November

The sale of Havre de Grace for the third-highest price ever for a broodmare or broodmare prospect highlights a sale that saw gross receipts nearly double.

Groupie Doll Cruises in Filly & Mare Sprint

Groupie Doll continued her domination of the female sprint division Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park, inhaling her rivals on the turn to take the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) under a hand ride from jockey Rajiv Maragh.

Groupie Doll Highlights F&M Sprint Field

While Groupie Doll's stellar 2012 record puts her in a different league than many of her competitors in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (gr. I), the favorite will still have to face five other grade I winners.

Game On Dude Leads Cup Workers at Santa Anita

Game On Dude headed a parade of heavyweight hopefuls prepping for the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park Oct. 14 as the countdown began in earnest for the 28th World Championship events Nov. 2-3.

Include Me Out Has Competition in Zenyatta

An interesting mix of talented fillies and mares, headlined by 2012 grade I winners Include Me Out, Love Theway Youare, and Love and Pride, and will go postward in the Sept. 29 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park.

Include Me Out All In for Clement Hirsch Win

Favored Include Me Out, benefiting from a rail-skimming ride under Joe Talamo, was all out to deny Star Billing in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (gr. I) Aug. 4 at Del Mar for her second grade I win of the season.

Switch Wheels Back for Clement Hirsch Stakes

Fresh off a victory in the A Gleam Handicap (gr. II), dual grade I winner Switch wheels right back for trainer John Sadler while returning to two turns in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (gr. II) Aug. 4 at Del Mar.

Switch Puts A Gleam Back in Sadler's Smile

In what was a pivotal race for her, favored Switch rallied in deep stretch on the outside to capture the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.

Switch Seeks Change of Fortune in A Gleam

Dual grade I winner Switch, seeking her first victory of 2012, carries top weight of 122 pounds in the $200,000 A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14.

Include Me Out Chasing 4th Straight in Vanity

Grade I winner Include Me Out puts her three-race victory streak on the line in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap (gr. I) Jan. 16 at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Include Me Out Wins 3rd Graded Stakes of Year

Favored Include Me Out nailed down her third consecutive graded victory this year after overcoming pacesetter Ellafitz narrowly in the $150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park May 19.

Zazu, Include Me Out Head Marjorie Everett

Grade I winners Zazu and Include Me Out will battle in the $150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park May 19 in a race that also attracted multiple grade II winner Ellafitz.

Sassy Image Looks for Humana Distaff Repeat

Sassy Image will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the $300,000 Humana Distaff (gr. I) when she faces a strong lineup in the 26th renewal of the seven-furlong test May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Include Me Out Sloshes to Santa Margarita Win

Include Me Out blew past odds-on choice Ellafitz on the turn for home and became a grade I winner with an easy victory in the $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes March 17 on a sloppy track at rainy Santa Anita.

Santa Margarita: Ellafitz Seeks Grade I Glory

On a three-race stakes winning streak for trainer Bob Baffert, Ellafitz will go for her first grade I victory against five opponents in the $300,000 Santa Margarita Invitational Stakes (gr. I) March 17 at Santa Anita.

Ellafitz Keeps Fighting to Win Santa Maria

Front-running Ellafitz demonstrated her gritty determination when she turned back several challenges to capture Santa Anita's $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 18.

Speed Makes Ellafitz Dangerous in Santa Maria

There was no staying with Ellafitz in last month's Pasaena Handicap and trainer Bob Baffert's 5-year-old mare could get the same kind of trip in the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 18 at Santa Maria.

Acclamation Named Cal-bred Horse of the Year

Eclipse Award winner Acclamation was voted California-bred Horse of the Year for 2011 by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

CTBA to Announce 2011 Horse of Year Feb. 13

Eclipse champions Acclamation and Amazombie, as well as multiple stakes-winning mare Ultra Blend are the finalists for the 2011 California-bred Horse of the Year.