Arthur’s Ride: Whitney Winner By Tapit New at Taylor Made

[Wandering Eyes]

Arthur's Ride was a once-in-a-lifetime horse for Cathi and Karl Glassman. The couple bought their first racehorse in 2015 and nine years later, scored their first Grade I when Arthur's Ride, who was named after Karl's late father, claimed the 2024 Whitney Stakes.

The team at Taylor Made farm is now hoping that Arthur's Ride's storytale career continues. The son of Tapit is set to begin his stud career at Taylor Made in 2026. Travis White, who was just named President of Taylor Made Stallions last week, said the new addition has seen plenty of visitors since arriving at the farm last month.

“We've had a ton of breeders out here and the response has been overwhelming so far,” said White. “He's let down really nice, filled out and put on good weight. He's a beautiful horse and is also just a very classy horse. Bill Mott spoke very highly of his mind and his quality.”

 

 

 

Arthur's Ride was always a standout on the racetrack with a striking grey coat reminiscent of his sire's. White said that the new recruit's physical stands out among the sons of Tapit at stud.

“He looks a lot like Tapit, but I think there's a lot more of him,” he explained. “He's a bigger version of Tapit and I think that should help when you're trying to figure out what kind of mare to breed to him. I think he should allow breeders more opportunities to match up with him physically.”

Bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and the Tapit Syndicate, Arthur's Ride was picked out by Donato Lanni at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale and purchased for $250,000.

“Donato is obviously one of the best judges in the game, so that speaks volumes for the horse,” said White. “Also in his pedigree, he's out of a champion mare and he's a half brother to a champion 2-year-old filly.”

Arthur's Ride's dam Points of Grace (Point Given) was a champion turf mare in Canada and is also the dam of 2016 GI Natalma Stakes winner Victory to Victory (Exchange Rate).

As a 2-year-old, Arthur's Ride put in two runner-up performances in Saratoga behind future GSWs Disarm (Gun Runner) and Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro). The Bill Mott trainee broke his maiden in February of his sophomore year in a front-running 1 ½-length win going a mile at Gulfstream Park.

Arthur's Ride brings home the GI Whitney Stakes | Sarah Andrew

“Bill Mott is not one that always has his 2-year-olds geared up early, but this horse obviously showed signs of a lot of ability and precociousness from the get-go,” said White.

While Arthur's Ride was sidelined before he could make a run at the Kentucky Derby trail, he returned the next year and collected two wins in his three starts prior to his Whitney score.

“In the race before the Whitney, he won by 12 ½ lengths and ran a 111 Beyer Speed Figure,” said White. “He came back right after that and had an amazing performance in the Whitney, running a 110 Beyer and beating some really nice horses. It takes a very good horse to run back-to-back races with those kinds of speed figures.”

White noted that the ability Arthur's Ride showed in both those gate-to-wire efforts marked a combination of talents that the Taylor Made team believes will appeal to commercial breeders. The newcomer will stand for $12,500 in 2026.

“People want fast and precocious,” said White. “But with him, not only did he have great speed, but he could carry it a distance.”

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