Tacitus (by Tapit out of Close Hatches, by First Defence) is among the best-bred stallion prospects you’ll find, and he has the physical to match — not to mention a multiple graded stakes-winning race record that also includes placing in the G1 Kentucky Derby, G1 Belmont, G1 Travers, G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, etc. After racing as a homebred for the historic Juddmonte Farm and trainer Bill Mott, Tacitus retires to Taylor Made Farm for 2022.
A maiden winner second time out going a mile to conclude his juvenile season, Tacitus stepped right up to stakes company and scored in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby in a time just off the stakes record, then stamped himself among the Kentucky Derby favorites with a victory — overcoming significant traffic trouble on the first turn — in the G2 Wood Memorial. He finished 4th in the Derby, promoted to 3rd on the DQ of Maximum Security, and then reeled off 2nd-place finishes in the G1 Belmont, G2 Jim Dandy and G1 Travers, before a 3rd in the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup to conclude his 3YO campaign. Returning at 4, he won the G2 Suburban by 8 lengths, and also placed in the G1 Woodward and G1 JCGC again. He only raced twice as a 5YO, failing to hit the board in either the Saudi Cup or the G3 Lukas Classic 8 months later.
As mentioned already, Tacitus is a son of 3-time leading sire Tapit, whose other sons at stud include the likes of Constitution, Tapizar, and Tapiture, while Tacitus’s female family traces to the Blue Hen Best in Show in tail female, and also includes the incredible broodmare Toussaud (the second dam of Tacitus’s broodmare sire, First Defence) — a blending of some of the very best Juddmonte Farm families. He enters stud in 2022 for an advertised fee of $10,000. You can see his page on the Taylor Made website here.
Tacitus wins the G2 Wood Memorial
Tacitus wins the G2 Suburban