Drum Taps was bred in Kentucky, sired by the Northern Dancer stallion Dixieland Band out of the British-bred mare Lavendula Rose.
[3] Drum Taps was acquired by William Stamps Farish III and sent into training with Dick Hern at West Ilsley, Berkshire in England.
He finished second in the Noble Dancer Handicap at Gulfstream Park and on his final American start, won an allowance race at Keeneland in April.
A month later he took the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot, recovering to beat Rock Hopper and Young Buster after being headed in the final furlong.
[8] In October he was moved up to Group One class for the first time and finished a half length second to Passing Sale in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club in Milan.
On his debut in April he was sent to Milan for a second time and won the 3100m Coppa d'Oro di Milano (then a Group Three race) by three and a half lengths.
[10] His form was good enough to see Drum Taps start 7/4 favourite for the Gold Cup over two and a half miles at Royal Ascot.
[13] Drum Taps began his final season by recording a repeat win in the Coppa d'Oro di Milano.
Turgeon and Arcadian Heights returned, and were joined by the top class stayers Vintage Crop, Sought Out, Further Flight and Assessor.
[16] Drum Taps was brought back in distance for his next start in the one and a half mile King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July and performed creditably, finishing fifth of the ten runners behind Opera House.
His challenge attracted considerable attention at a time when foreign runners were a rarity in Australia[17] but could finish only ninth in the race behind Vintage Crop.
"[18] In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Drum Taps as an "inferior" winner of the Gold Cup.