horses. In 2016, he once again headed the sire list, with top performers including Frosted and 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator. Two fillies sired by him dead-heated in the Grade I Spinaway Stakes, the two being Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta. He also sired two Grade I winners on the turf, Ring Weekend and Time and Motion. David Firsk, the stallion manager of Winchell Stable, said, "The versatility he has and everything else, I mean, you could subtract his turf earnings from his total ... and he'd still be the leading sire. Turf runners are like a hobby for him." In 2017, his son Tapwrit won the Belmont Stakes, marking the third time a son of Tapit had won the race in four years. His other leading performers included Cupid (Gold Cup at Santa Anita), Actress (Black-Eyed Susan), and Unique Bella (American Champion Female Sprint Horse, Las Virgenes, Santa Ysabel Stakes, La Brea Stakes). With his record of siring winners, his stud fee steadily increased, from the original $15,000 to $80,000 in 2011, $125,000 in 2013, and to $150,000 in 2014. For the 2015 breeding season, his fee was doubled to $300,000, and in 2017 was the highest in the United States. In 2014, a single share in Tapit, providing a guaranteed breeding right for the rest of his career, was sold for $2.8 million. This made his total value an estimated $140 million. Tapit has produced the most successful foals from mares that "nick" or complement the genetic strengths in his pedigree. Tapit is inbred to Nijinsky, a son of Northern Dancer, and many of his best offspring are out of mares who also carry Northern Dancer breeding, but via different lines. Frosted is an example of how Tapit crosses well on mares that carry the bloodlines of Seattle Slew. Statistics † Prior to 2015, the Leading Sire Lists published by The Blood-Horse excluded earnings from Hong Kong and Japan due to the disparity in purses. Starting in 2015, earnings from Hong Kong and Japan are included on an adjusted basis. Notable progeny His major stakes winners include: c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding Pedigree Tapit is by Pulpit, who stood at Claiborne Farm. Pulpit is by A.P. Indy, the 1992 Horse of the Year and an outstanding sire. A.P. Indy is by Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, and out of Weekend Surprise by Secretariat.