Creator

Creator (foaled March 30, 2013, in Kentucky) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, best known as the winner of the 2016 Belmont Stakes and Arkansas Derby. Background Creator is a dapple gray colt, a color he inherited from leading sire Tapit, whose other offspring include the 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist and 2015 Belmont Stakes runner-up Frosted. His dam, Morena, was a champion filly in Peru at both age 2 and 3 before being sent to the United States, where she finished third in the Personal Ensign Stakes. Creator was bred by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares and sold at the Keeneland September Sale for $440,000 to WinStar Farm. His consignor, Michael Hernon, said later, "He was a correct, good mover, with a touch of class, and he seemed real genuine. He had size and scope and was well made. He was our number one choice, and it is very gratifying to see he is a grade I winner and a horse who is coming into his own of late." Creator was trained by Steve Asmussen, whose numerous stakes winners included champion filly Untapable, also by Tapit. It was the first time WinStar had sent a horse to Asmussen. WinStar's CEO Elliot Walden explained, "[Creator]'s been a very high-strung horse in the beginning. I liked what Steve had done with some of the Tapits he's had in the past, so that's why we sent Creator to him. ... I love his style."