Saturday at Belmont turned out to be a redemption day for a pair of paternally connected colts. As North America’s top sire for the past two years, Tapit has plenty of feathers in his cap, but got an even bigger boost thanks to his sons Frosted and Creator.

Making his stateside 4-year-old debut after returning from a winter in Dubai, Frosted was sent off as a modest favorite in the GI Met Mile. It was his first start since proving no match for California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup in March, and many questioned whether Kiaran McLaughlin could have his charge cocked and loaded against a solid field of stakes winners in his first attempt at a mile since breaking his maiden in 2014.

The doubts were quickly and emphatically squashed when Frosted took over at the top of the stretch and unleashed the awesome.

Frosted’s 14-length romp in an eye-popping 1:32.7 was just a few tenths off the track record and needed hardly an urging from jockey Joel Rosario.

Much has been expected from the Godolphin homebred, who so far has been somewhat a victim of circumstance, hailing from the same crop as American Pharoah whom he unsuccessfully chased through last year’s Triple Crown trail all the way to the Breeders’ Cup. In Saturday’s Met Mile he put it all together for one of the most jaw-dropping performances you will ever see.

Frosted walkin' it out at Belmont.

Frosted walkin’ it out at Belmont.

 

Of course, super-sire Tapit had his hoofprints all over the Belmont Stakes with WinStar’s Creator nosing out Destin in a thriller, with another Tapit, Lani, getting up for the show.

Creator was a trendy pick to win the Kentucky Derby after gobbling up ground like a tornado to win the Arkansas Derby for trainer Steve Asmussen. But the colt’s Derby dreams were dashed early in Louisville, getting pin-balled around at the back of the pack and running into a blockade of horses before understandably packing it in. Under a masterful ride from Irad Ortiz, and a little help from his newly adopted pacesetting stablemate Gettysburg, Creator got the daylight he needed and let his legs do the rest.

So what does Tapit have to say about his latest big day at the races?

“I would like to congratulate my two—OHMYGOD MUUUDDD!”

 

Perhaps the day’s top talent was on full display in the GI Manhattan, where Euro-import Flintshire absolutely toyed with a loaded field in his U.S. debut for trainer Chad Brown.

American breeders have made strides in the production of top-class turf routers as owners are increasingly game to send their horses across the pond,  but the 6-year-old Juddmonte homebred’s (Dansili–Dance Routine, Sadler’s Wells) performance was a clinic in class.

 

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