Pleasant Tap (USA)
May 8, 1987 – October 8, 2010
Pleasant Colony (USA) x Never Knock (USA), by Stage Door Johnny (USA)
Family 1-x
May 8, 1987 – October 8, 2010
Pleasant Colony (USA) x Never Knock (USA), by Stage Door Johnny (USA)
Family 1-x
Successful over sprint distances during his first two years at the track, Pleasant Tap stretched out to 10 furlongs as an older horse and was honored as the best American older male of 1992. The most successful of Pleasant Colony's sons at stud, his stud career was solid rather than spectacular.
Race record
32 starts, 9 wins, 9 seconds, 5 thirds, US$2,721,169
1989:
1990:
1991:
1992:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 116 pound on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1989, 10 pounds below champion Rhythm.
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1990, 13 pounds below champion Unbridled.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1991, 8 pounds below champion Housebuster.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1992, 2 pounds below highweighted Best Pal.
As an individual
A bay horse, Pleasant Tap stood 16.2 hands. He was a more polished individual than his rawboned sire and had good balance, a strong body and clean legs.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Pleasant Tap sired 516 winners (57.0%) and 51 stakes winners (5.6%) from 906 named foals. The Blood-Horse credits Pleasant Tap with 53 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Per the Korean Studbook (https://studbook.kra.co.kr/neweng/html/eng_sire_list.jsp):
Notable progeny
David Jr. (USA), Premium Tap (USA), Sahara Sky (USA), Tap Dance City (USA), Tap to Music (USA), Tiago (USA), Villard (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Speaking Scout (USA), Village King (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Pleasant Tap was bred and owned by Thomas Mellon Evans, who had also bred and owned his sire. Evans raced Pleasant Tap in the silks of his Buckland Farm. The horse was trained by Christopher Speckert. Following his retirement from racing, Pleasant Tap entered stud in 1993 at the Kentucky division of Buckland Farm. After Evans' death in 1998, Pleasant Tap transferred to Lane's End Farm, where he stood until his death from laminitis in October 2010.
Pedigree notes
Pleasant Tap is inbred 5x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and to two-time American champion sire and eight-time American champion broodmare sire Princequillo. He is a half brother to 1994 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Go for Gin (by Cormorant) and to Navy Knock (by Bold Navy), dam of stakes winner Perceived Value (by Present Value).
Never Knock, the dam of Pleasant Tap, won two of her 16 starts. She is a half sister to stakes-placed She Might Hula (by Caucasus), dam of 1992 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Hulastrike (by Straight Strike) and second dam of New Zealand Group 2 winner Hulachine. She is also a half sister to Never Babble (by Advocator), dam of Grade 2 winner Don't Say Halo (by Halo) and stakes winner Never Bat (by Batonnier); second dam of Sultan's Light, who produced five stakes winners on the New England circuit; and third dam of two-time New Zealand champion Silent Achiever. In addition, Never Hula is a half sister to Native Hula (by Exclusive Native), third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Repo Rocks.
Never Knock is out of stakes-placed Never Hula (by Never Bend), whose stakes-winning full sister Hula Bend produced 1985 George Ryder Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Hula Drum and 1986 Doncaster Handicap (AUS-G1) winner Hula Chief (both by Marceau). Hula Bend is also the third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Mardi's Magic and Australian Group 3 winner Viva La Vie. Returning to Never Hula, she is also a half sister to Regalita (by Ribot), dam of 1974 South African champion 3-year-old filly Vicereine (by Free Ride), and to Damascene (by Damascus), dam of Grade 2 winner Delicate Ice (by Icecapade).
Never Hula and her sisters are out of Hula Hula (by Polynesian), whose half sister Be Like Mom (by Sickle) is the dam of 1947 American champion 3-year-old filly and handicap female But Why Not, three-time American champion steeplechaser Oedipus and 1951 Firenze Handicap winner Renew, all by Blue Larkspur. A daughter of 1935 American champion 3-year-old filly Black Helen (by Black Toney x La Troienne), Hula Hula is also a half sister to Broth (by St. Germans), dam of 1953 Benjamin Franklin Handicap winner Open Show (by Amphitheatre); to In the Purple (by Burgoo King), dam of 1955 Benjamin Frankin Handicap winner Imagem (by Ace Admiral); to Resourceful (by Shut Out), dam of 1964 Seneca Handicap and Stymie Handicap winner The Ibex (by Hill Prince); and to Choosy (by My Request), dam of stakes winner Round Pearl (by Round Table).
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2008. Used by permission.
Last updated: May 25, 2024
Race record
32 starts, 9 wins, 9 seconds, 5 thirds, US$2,721,169
1989:
- Won Sunny Slope Stakes (USA-L, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Hoist the Flag Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Hollywood)
1990:
- Won Malibu Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Native Diver Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Hollywood)
- 2nd Lexington Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
1991:
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1, 6FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Santa Anita Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Goodwood Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd San Bernardino Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
1992:
- Won Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA-G3, 7FD, Keeneland)
- Won Churchill Downs Handicap (USA-G3, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Nassau County Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 1993)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older male (1992)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pound on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 1989, 10 pounds below champion Rhythm.
Rated at 114 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1990, 13 pounds below champion Unbridled.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American male sprinters of 1991, 8 pounds below champion Housebuster.
Rated at 124 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1992, 2 pounds below highweighted Best Pal.
As an individual
A bay horse, Pleasant Tap stood 16.2 hands. He was a more polished individual than his rawboned sire and had good balance, a strong body and clean legs.
As a stallion
According to records maintained by The Jockey Club, Pleasant Tap sired 516 winners (57.0%) and 51 stakes winners (5.6%) from 906 named foals. The Blood-Horse credits Pleasant Tap with 53 stakes winners.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- Led the Korean broodmare sire list in 2018.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 4th on the American general sire list in 2006.
Per the Korean Studbook (https://studbook.kra.co.kr/neweng/html/eng_sire_list.jsp):
- Led the Korean broodmare sire list in 2018.
Notable progeny
David Jr. (USA), Premium Tap (USA), Sahara Sky (USA), Tap Dance City (USA), Tap to Music (USA), Tiago (USA), Villard (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Speaking Scout (USA), Village King (ARG)
Connections
Foaled in Virginia, Pleasant Tap was bred and owned by Thomas Mellon Evans, who had also bred and owned his sire. Evans raced Pleasant Tap in the silks of his Buckland Farm. The horse was trained by Christopher Speckert. Following his retirement from racing, Pleasant Tap entered stud in 1993 at the Kentucky division of Buckland Farm. After Evans' death in 1998, Pleasant Tap transferred to Lane's End Farm, where he stood until his death from laminitis in October 2010.
Pedigree notes
Pleasant Tap is inbred 5x4 to five-time American champion sire Nasrullah and to two-time American champion sire and eight-time American champion broodmare sire Princequillo. He is a half brother to 1994 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Go for Gin (by Cormorant) and to Navy Knock (by Bold Navy), dam of stakes winner Perceived Value (by Present Value).
Never Knock, the dam of Pleasant Tap, won two of her 16 starts. She is a half sister to stakes-placed She Might Hula (by Caucasus), dam of 1992 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) winner Hulastrike (by Straight Strike) and second dam of New Zealand Group 2 winner Hulachine. She is also a half sister to Never Babble (by Advocator), dam of Grade 2 winner Don't Say Halo (by Halo) and stakes winner Never Bat (by Batonnier); second dam of Sultan's Light, who produced five stakes winners on the New England circuit; and third dam of two-time New Zealand champion Silent Achiever. In addition, Never Hula is a half sister to Native Hula (by Exclusive Native), third dam of multiple Grade 3 winner Repo Rocks.
Never Knock is out of stakes-placed Never Hula (by Never Bend), whose stakes-winning full sister Hula Bend produced 1985 George Ryder Stakes (AUS-G1) winner Hula Drum and 1986 Doncaster Handicap (AUS-G1) winner Hula Chief (both by Marceau). Hula Bend is also the third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Mardi's Magic and Australian Group 3 winner Viva La Vie. Returning to Never Hula, she is also a half sister to Regalita (by Ribot), dam of 1974 South African champion 3-year-old filly Vicereine (by Free Ride), and to Damascene (by Damascus), dam of Grade 2 winner Delicate Ice (by Icecapade).
Never Hula and her sisters are out of Hula Hula (by Polynesian), whose half sister Be Like Mom (by Sickle) is the dam of 1947 American champion 3-year-old filly and handicap female But Why Not, three-time American champion steeplechaser Oedipus and 1951 Firenze Handicap winner Renew, all by Blue Larkspur. A daughter of 1935 American champion 3-year-old filly Black Helen (by Black Toney x La Troienne), Hula Hula is also a half sister to Broth (by St. Germans), dam of 1953 Benjamin Franklin Handicap winner Open Show (by Amphitheatre); to In the Purple (by Burgoo King), dam of 1955 Benjamin Frankin Handicap winner Imagem (by Ace Admiral); to Resourceful (by Shut Out), dam of 1964 Seneca Handicap and Stymie Handicap winner The Ibex (by Hill Prince); and to Choosy (by My Request), dam of stakes winner Round Pearl (by Round Table).
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2008. Used by permission.
Last updated: May 25, 2024