Tapit is the most successful sire in the modern history of the Belmont Stakes, with three winners of the oldest and longest American classic. As he continues to build his legacy, he will be represented in this Saturday’s renewal with Eclipse Award champion juvenile Essential Quality, who was fourth in the Kentucky Derby. An Essential Quality win would give Tapit a fourth victory in the Belmont, tying Lexington, one of the greatest stallions in history, for the all-time record. “Certainly the record speaks for itself,” said Sean Tugel, director of stallion sales and recruitment at Antony Beck’s Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Ky., where 20-year-old Tapit, himself a Grade 1 winner, reigns supreme. “Essential Quality was the undefeated champion going into the Derby, a little bit of a rough trip, didn’t think he embarrassed himself. You could see him going off favored, and the way he ran in the Derby, you would think a mile and a half would not be an issue for him.” Tapit, the leading freshman sire of 2008 and leading general sire of 2014, 2015, and 2016, is the sire of Belmont Stakes winners Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), and Tapwrit (2017). The stallion, who is closing in on a career milestone with 93 graded/group stakes winners, is also the sire of Tacitus, elevated to third in the 2019 Kentucky Derby before finishing second in the Belmont; 2015 Belmont runner-up Frosted, who chased home Triple Crown winner American Pharoah; 2015 Preakness third Divining Rod; and Belmont third-place finishers Lani (2016) and Hofburg (2018). :: DRF's Belmont Stakes Headquarters: Contenders, latest news, past performances, analysis, and more Tapit is the only sire in the modern era represented by three Belmont Stakes winners – and one of just five stallions in history to sire three or more winners of the race. Lexington was America’s leading sire 16 times despite his stud career at Woodburn Farm being interrupted by the Civil War. His four victories came with General Duke in 1868, Kingfisher in 1870, Harry Bassett in 1871, and Duke of Magenta in 1878. Three other stallions have sired three Belmont winners. Lexington’s contemporary Australian, shipped to safe harbor in Illinois during the Civil War, won in 1872 with Joe Daniels, 1873 with Springbok, and 1879 with Spendthrift. Spendthrift’s grandson Fair Play sired the great Man o’ War, who won the 1920 Belmont, along with 1924 winner Mad Play and 1927 winner Chance Shot. Man o’ War himself sired three Belmont winners in American Flag in 1925, Crusader in 1926, and Triple Crown winner War Admiral in 1937. “There’s a lot of pride, certainly,” Tugel said of Tapit’s accomplishment. “The Belmont is considered to be the test of champions. Having produced three winners already, it helps carry on a legacy. We see it not only through the sireline, I think you’re going to see it more and more as he has more [sons and daughters] out there. His daughters are going to be extremely influential as well.” Indeed, with Tapit’s oldest daughters just 15, he is already the broodmare sire of 49 stakes winners, including Halladay and Harvey’s Lil Goil, both Grade 1 winners last season; Concert Tour, Finite, and Soup and Sandwich, all Grade 1-placed this season; Japanese champion Gran Alegria; and classic-placed Tenfold. Tapit is also off to a strong start with his sons at stud, with Tapizar and Flashback both siring Eclipse Award champions in Monomoy Girl and British Idiom, respectively. Constitution and Tapiture were among the leaders, by winners and earnings, of a stellar 2019 freshman sire class, with Tonalist also emerging from that class to sire sire multiple graded stakes winners. Constitution went on to sire 2020 Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law, although with that race run at a shortened distance in the pandemic-shuffled Triple Crown. Meanwhile, Frosted, sire of graded stakes winner Travel Column from his first crop, is off to a flying start with three 2-year-old winners from his second crop. :: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales Tapwrit, who stands alongside Tapit at Gainesway, is represented by his first yearlings this season. “For a third-year horse, he’s booked up well this season,” Tugel said. “Coming out of the November breeding stock sales, his weanlings made a very good impression on breeders and pinhookers. He had a good, honest average, and he’s a horse that I think has the potential to come out of the fall yearling sales as a horse who will have a lot of discussion about him.” Tapit ranks as a top five general sire less than halfway into the 2021 season, with Essential Quality joined by Magic On Tap, who won the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes this past Saturday, and graded stakes winners Greatest Honour, Pauline’s Pearl, and Silver Dust. “His résumé is only going to continue to build and build as the decades go on,” Tugel said. “He’s still producing high-level, quality horses. It’s going to be interesting how much he’s going to touch the breed in years to come.”