Emphatic was only the third choice in the betting in Friday’s Alcibiades Stakes (USA-G1), but you could not have told that from her confident performance. She led every step of the way from the odds-on Summer Starlet, and that pair finished a country mile ahead of third-place Oh She Said Yes with Emphatic taking top honors by 1¼ lengths. Now unbeaten in three starts, Emphatic added US$302,250 to her bankroll and gained a “Win and You’re In” berth for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (USA-G1) over the same course and distance.
Bred in Pennsylvania by Jon Marshall, Emphatic is seeking to become the third Juvenile Fillies winner and American champion juvenile filly sired by Nyquist, who already has Vequist (2020) and Immersive (2024) to his credit. Following a pattern similar to those of his daughters, Nyquist was also a Breeders’ Cup winner, taking the 2015 Juvenile Colts (USA-G1), and was that year's American champion 2-year-old male, in both achievements following in the hoof prints of his late sire, Uncle Mo. Nyquist trained on to win the 2016 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Florida Derby (USA-G1). Currently fourth on the general sire list, the Darley stallion has 44 stakes winners to his credit thus far, including 11 top-level winners.
Emphatic’s connections on the distaff side of her pedigree are equally impressive. Although her dam, Convinced, never raced, she is a daughter of 2000 American Horse of the Year and two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow. As a US$85,000 purchase from the 2020 Keeneland November sale for Marshall, Convinced was a steal on pedigree alone, for her dam, Tap of the Day, though also unraced and only the dam of two minor winners, is a full sister to 2004 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1) winner and three-time American champion sire Tapit. A daughter of Pulpit, Tap of the Day is also a full sister to Home from Oz, dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Maderomlucky (by Lookin At Lucky), and a half sister to Overandabeauty (by Grand Slam), dam of stakes winner Noble and a Beauty (by Noble Causeway).
Tap of the Day and her siblings are out of Tap Your Heels (by Unbridled), who was a stakes winner as a juvenile. A half sister to 1992 American champion sprinter Rubiano (by Fappiano), Tap Your Heels is out of the Nijinsky II mare Ruby Slippers, who also produced Hong Kong Squall (by Summer Squall), second dam of 2009 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner and American champion 3-year-old male Summer Bird (by Birdstone). Another of Ruby Slippers’ daughters, Secret Red (by Secretariat), is the dam of 2004 Summer Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Dubleo (by Southern Halo), and Ruby Slippers is also the dam of Wichitoz (by Affirmed), dam of 2014 Gulfstream Oaks (USA-G2) winner In Tune (by Unbridled’s Song). The next dam in the tail-female line, Moon Glitter, is a multiple stakes winner and a full sister to the important stallion Relaunch.
A US$260,000 purchase from the 2025 Keeneland September sale, Emphatic is the fifth foal of Convinced, who has three previous winners to her credit from four other foals of racing age. The mare’s most recent foal is a 2025 Gunite filly that sold for US$325,000 at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale.
For owner Gainesway Farm (who co-owns the filly with Andrew Rosen), Emphatic is a case of coming full circle, as Gainesway owner Antony Beck was a co-owner in Tapit (in human terms, the filly’s great-uncle), who remains an active sire at Gainesway at the age of 25. If Beck’s stewardship of the Thoroughbred is rewarded with a Breeders’ Cup win by Emphatic to go with the eight Breeders’ Cup winners sired by Tapit, it seems but just deserts, as well as another chapter in the Breeders’ Cup history written into Emphatic’s pedigree.
Bred in Pennsylvania by Jon Marshall, Emphatic is seeking to become the third Juvenile Fillies winner and American champion juvenile filly sired by Nyquist, who already has Vequist (2020) and Immersive (2024) to his credit. Following a pattern similar to those of his daughters, Nyquist was also a Breeders’ Cup winner, taking the 2015 Juvenile Colts (USA-G1), and was that year's American champion 2-year-old male, in both achievements following in the hoof prints of his late sire, Uncle Mo. Nyquist trained on to win the 2016 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and Florida Derby (USA-G1). Currently fourth on the general sire list, the Darley stallion has 44 stakes winners to his credit thus far, including 11 top-level winners.
Emphatic’s connections on the distaff side of her pedigree are equally impressive. Although her dam, Convinced, never raced, she is a daughter of 2000 American Horse of the Year and two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow. As a US$85,000 purchase from the 2020 Keeneland November sale for Marshall, Convinced was a steal on pedigree alone, for her dam, Tap of the Day, though also unraced and only the dam of two minor winners, is a full sister to 2004 Wood Memorial Stakes (USA-G1) winner and three-time American champion sire Tapit. A daughter of Pulpit, Tap of the Day is also a full sister to Home from Oz, dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Maderomlucky (by Lookin At Lucky), and a half sister to Overandabeauty (by Grand Slam), dam of stakes winner Noble and a Beauty (by Noble Causeway).
Tap of the Day and her siblings are out of Tap Your Heels (by Unbridled), who was a stakes winner as a juvenile. A half sister to 1992 American champion sprinter Rubiano (by Fappiano), Tap Your Heels is out of the Nijinsky II mare Ruby Slippers, who also produced Hong Kong Squall (by Summer Squall), second dam of 2009 Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winner and American champion 3-year-old male Summer Bird (by Birdstone). Another of Ruby Slippers’ daughters, Secret Red (by Secretariat), is the dam of 2004 Summer Stakes (CAN-G2) winner Dubleo (by Southern Halo), and Ruby Slippers is also the dam of Wichitoz (by Affirmed), dam of 2014 Gulfstream Oaks (USA-G2) winner In Tune (by Unbridled’s Song). The next dam in the tail-female line, Moon Glitter, is a multiple stakes winner and a full sister to the important stallion Relaunch.
A US$260,000 purchase from the 2025 Keeneland September sale, Emphatic is the fifth foal of Convinced, who has three previous winners to her credit from four other foals of racing age. The mare’s most recent foal is a 2025 Gunite filly that sold for US$325,000 at the recently concluded Keeneland September sale.
For owner Gainesway Farm (who co-owns the filly with Andrew Rosen), Emphatic is a case of coming full circle, as Gainesway owner Antony Beck was a co-owner in Tapit (in human terms, the filly’s great-uncle), who remains an active sire at Gainesway at the age of 25. If Beck’s stewardship of the Thoroughbred is rewarded with a Breeders’ Cup win by Emphatic to go with the eight Breeders’ Cup winners sired by Tapit, it seems but just deserts, as well as another chapter in the Breeders’ Cup history written into Emphatic’s pedigree.
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