2014 Florida Derby Winner

February 11 -Tonalist and Constitution

These are two of the better sons of Tapit, best known for throwing gray babies, here are two bays.

Tonalist is owned by Shell Evans whose family has been in racing for generations, including Kentucky Derby winner Pleasant Colony who was raced by Shell's father. Shell's brother Ned Evans had a great racing stable of his own based out of his Virginia based operation, Spring Hill Farm, whose best horse quite possibly being Quality Road.

The painting of Tonalist was originally painted with the Lane's End stallion barn as a backdrop. Shell said he didn't want to promote their farm; he wanted to show his farm, so, a little face lift courtesy of some brush magic and viola, Tonalist is back home in Maryland.

I've painted Constitution twice, once racing at Gulfstream winning the G1 Donn Handicap. The other time, Constitution was part of a painting of stallions that raced for Twin Creeks. That is him, the brown horse in the middle being held by one of the owners of Twin Creeks, Randy Gullatt. His wife, Kim, is holding Graydar on the right. Randy was a trainer back when Kim was a jockey. That’s some more viola, right there!

Constitution came out the gate as a stallion at full speed with his first foal crop producing several good runners, including the G1 winning Tiz The Law.

Interesting, earlier this week before I even realized they shared a birthday, I was talking with a couple of thoroughbred breeders and the comparison of Tonalist and Constitution was the topic. While Constitution has already made a name for himself as a stallion, the consensus kind of surprised me when these breeders that I respect were adamant that Tonalist was going to be the one that leaves the biggest footprint on the breed in 20 years. Nothing negative on Constitution, but great expectations for Tonalist.

Time will tell but it makes me think of a quote from Mark Twain, "It is the difference of opinion that makes horse racing."

Side note - The painting of the Twin Creeks stallions was based upon a painting by Richard Stone Reeves of Claiborne Farm stallions back in the late ‘70s with Secretariat, Nijinksy II, and Spectacular Bid. I shared the concept with Randy and Kim, and they loved it. I think Reeve's painting was titled Three Kings and so we borrowed that title and then the game of alternative names started – from Three Kings, there came several variations that kept getting more ridiculous, until "Five Studs and a Nag." That one came from Randy . . . he slept in a sleeping bag in the barn for a month after that one.

Constitution was a brilliant but lightly raced colt who became one of the top stallions in America. He was foaled in 2011 and trained by Todd Pletcher for WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stables. His sire was the great Tapit, and his dam was Baffled, a daughter of Distorted Humor. That pedigree gave him a mix of speed and class that showed up early in his career.

Constitution broke his maiden in his very first start at Gulfstream Park in January 2014. He came back next time out to win an allowance race, and then he stepped right into the big leagues. In his third career start, he won the 2014 Florida Derby, beating a strong field that included Cairo Prince and stamping himself as a real Triple Crown hopeful. He went off as a contender for the 2014 Kentucky Derby but was scratched due to a minor injury. That kept him out of the Triple Crown races, which was a huge disappointment for his connections.

He returned later in his three year old year and won an allowance race at Saratoga, but injuries cut his career short. He retired with 4 wins from 8 starts and earnings of just over half a million dollars. While his racing record was short, his quality was clear, and WinStar Farm sent him to stud as a top prospect.

At stud is where Constitution really made his mark. He became one of the leading sires in North America, producing a string of major winners. His best son was Tiz the Law, who won the 2020 Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes during the strange pandemic season. He also sired By My Standards, who won the 2019 Louisiana Derby, and Americanrevolution, who won the 2021 Cigar Mile. Constitution stands as a great example of a horse whose impact on the breed has far outshone his time on the racetrack.

Sources:

• Constitution - Wikipedia

• WinStar Farm - Constitution

• Bloodhorse - Constitution Stallion Record