Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tapizar jumped into the thick of the 2011 Triple Crown picture with a dominating 4 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Sham S. at Santa Anita on Jan. 15 (VIDEO). This was the first stakes win for Tapizar, who broke his maiden by 10 1/2-lengths on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs, his most recent start prior to the Sham.

Tapizar was one of three Graded stakes horses for Tapit at Santa Anita on Saturday. Three-year-old Zazu was second by a neck in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez S., and 4-year-old Tweebster was second by the narrowest of margins in the Grade 2 San Fernando S.

In the Sham, Tapizar made all the running with a two-length lead after a half-mile in a quick :45.25 seconds. Despite a very fast six furlongs in 1:08.83, the bay colt continued to pour it on, increasing his margin down the stretch to finish the 1 1/16 miles in an excellent 1:40.38, little more than a second off the track record of 1:39.

Tapizar is now 2-0-1 in five starts. The record is better than it appears considering he lost his rider at the start in one of his off the board finishes. After the $60,000 payday in the Sham, Tapizar has now earned $105,632.

“He’s trained very nicely for us. His last race was very exciting,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “Today was a big question mark. We wanted to know if he was a contender or a pretender. After this race we have a lot to be excited about.”

Asmussen said he would keep Tapizar in California and point him for the major 3-year-old races at Santa Anita. The $250,000 Robert B. Lewis (G2) on Feb. 12 is next.

Ron Winchell bred Tapizar out of the Deputy Minister mare Winning Call, who has five winners from as many starters. Her dam is the Grade 2 winner Call Now, and the family also includes $1.3 million earner Olympio, who won four grade stakes at age three.

Tapit finished 2010 as the nation's third ranked third-crop sire, and 12th on the General Sire list.