Champion racehorse and successful sire Pleasant Tap was euthanized Oct. 8 because of laminitis at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky. The 23-year-old son of Pleasant Colony is represented as a stallion by 53 stakes winners and the earners of more than $51.5 million.

"We are saddened by the loss of Pleasant Tap," Farish said. "He was an outstanding racehorse and an extremely successful sire."

Campaigned as a homebred by Thomas Mellon Evans, Pleasant Tap was in the running for 1992 Horse of the Year when he met that year's Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy in that year's Breeders' Cup Classic. Pleasant Tap had beaten 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold and A.P. Indy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park three weeks before the Classic.

In the Classic at Gulfstream Park, Pleasant Tap finished well but was beaten two lengths by A.P. Indy, who later was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male. Pleasant Tap was named champion older male