Tapit doesn’t have a chance to extend his modern-day record in the Belmont Stakes this year. But what he does have is a chance to extend his legacy. Gainesway Farm kingpin Tapit, sire of four Belmont Stakes winners, is represented by two sons with likely starters in Saturday’s edition of the oldest and longest American classic. WinStar Farm’s Constitution, already a young classic sire, has Peter Pan Stakes winner We the People. Race Day, who began his career at Spendthrift Farm before moving to Korea, is the sire of Barber Road, sixth in the Kentucky Derby. Tapit also is the broodmare sire of Preakness Stakes third-place finisher Creative Minister. "His stamp, his legacy, I think is going to be absolutely immense," said Sean Tugel, director of stallion sales and nominations at Gainesway. "I think he could have four or five legendary sons at stud, here. ... I think he's that type of horse." Tapit, a Grade 1 winner for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which maintains a major interest in his stallion career, burst onto the scene as the leading freshman sire of 2008, setting a then-earnings record in the category. He claimed his first general sire title with a record bankroll in 2014, then broke his own record to lead the list in 2015 and 2016. Last year, he became the all-time leading North American sire by earnings, and his bankroll through June 5 stands at $184,184,702. He is closing in on other career milestones with 983 winners to date, including 98 graded/group stakes winners. :: Bet the Belmont Stakes with confidence! Join DRF Bets and get a $250 deposit match bonus, $10 free bet, and access to FREE DRF Formulator! However, it is Tapit’s modern record in the Belmont Stakes, joining the great Lexington with four winners, that is likely to go unmatched. Lexington was America’s leading sire 16 times despite his stud career at Woodburn Farm being disrupted by the Civil War. His four Belmont victories came with General Duke (1868), Kingfisher (1870), Harry Bassett (1871), and Duke of Magenta (1878). By the time Tapit recorded his first Belmont winner, with Tonalist in 2014, the Thoroughbred industry had changed dramatically. While the Belmont five times had two-horse fields from 1887 to 1920, the growth of the commercial Thoroughbred marketplace and a rising foal crop meant larger fields to contend with; the largest Belmont field was 15 in 1983, and Tapit’s four winners have been part of an average field size of 10.75. Additionally, while Lexington’s first three Belmont winners came at a marathon 1 5/8 miles before the race made one of several distance shifts to 1 1/2 in 1874, the distance has become an anachronism in American racing; simply put, it is not an distance that racehorses or sires are geared toward. Tonalist was followed by Creator (2016) and Tapwrit (2017) winning the Belmont to make Tapit just the fifth stallion to sire three or more Belmont winners, and he is the first to do so in eight decades. Lexington’s contemporary Australian won with Joe Daniels (1872), Springbok (1873), and Spendthrift (1879). Spendthrift’s grandson Fair Play sired the great Man o’ War, who won the 1920 Belmont, along with Mad Play (1924) and Chance Shot (1927). Man o’ War himself sired 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral, along with American Flag (1925) and Crusader in (1926). Essential Quality, a two-time Eclipse Award champion, added to Tapit’s Belmont record last year to put him atop the list. He also is the sire of Belmont runners-up Frosted (2015) and Tacitus (2019) and third-place finishers Lani (2016) and Hofburg (2018). Constitution has already followed in his sire’s very large hoofprints by siring a Belmont winner – albeit with an asterisk. Tiz the Law, from the stallion’s first crop, won the 2020 edition, the first leg of the pandemic-shuffled Triple Crown, held in late June at the shortened distance of 1 1/8 miles, run around one turn. Tiz the Law did go on to win the 1 1/4-mile Travers Stakes and finish second in the September Kentucky Derby. Additionally, Constitution’s 21 graded/group stakes winners include Chilean champion Breakpoint, a Group 1 winner at 1 1/2 miles. Race Day has had a breakout spring with the 3-year-olds from his third crop. The expatriate was represented in this prep season by consistent Barber Road, who placed in four stakes at Oaklawn, culminating with a runner-up effort in the Arkansas Derby; and White Abarrio, winner of the Holy Bull Stakes and Florida Derby. The colts were sixth and 16th, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby. :: Get ready for the Belmont Stakes with DRF Past performances, picks, clocker reports, and betting strategies! These are not the only sons of Tapit having an outstanding year. Tonalist (Lane’s End) currently sits second on the general sire list, as his son Country Grammer won the Dubai World Cup after finishing second in the Saudi Cup. Meanwhile another Grade 1 winner, Cupid (Coolmore’s Ashford Stud), has Santa Anita Oaks winner Desert Dawn, a creditable third in the Kentucky Oaks, in his first crop. Tapit’s other sons include the late Tapizar (Gainesway), sire of two-time Eclipse Award champion Monomoy Girl; Flashback (Korea), sire of Eclipse champion British Idiom; the consistent Tapiture (Darby Dan), sire of classic-placed millionaire Jesus’ Team; Frosted (Darley), sire of Grade 2 winner Travel Column; and Divining Rod (Country Life Farm), last year’s leading freshman sire in Maryland. "He has some very solid sons at stud - and I think his best sons are just now coming through the pipeline," said Tugel, noting that Essential Quality entered stud just this year at Darley. Joining this pipeline is Tapwrit, who stands alongside his sire at Gainesway and is a freshman sire of 2022. "Since the beginning of the year, we've had some very good comments from the individuals breaking them or taking them to the 2-year-old sales," Tugel said. "We were getting good reports - obviously, they have to follow through and perform." That follow-through is underway, as Tapwrit, fittingly, recorded his first winner as he nears the fifth anniversary of his Belmont Stakes win. Real Tap was a one-length debut winner June 5 at Lone Star Park. Like sire Tapit, who won the 2004 Wood Memorial before finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby, Tapwrit was a spring prep winner, winning the 2017 Tampa Bay Derby. He was sixth in the Kentucky Derby before winning the Belmont to carry on his sireline's involvement in the coveted American classics. "They had the class it takes to get to those races, and that's what truly motives the American breeder and buyer," Tugel said.