Tapa Tapa Tapa adds 'a lot of ability' to Azeri Stakes field
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Tapa Tapa Tapa ran in the key race of Oaklawn Park's 2017 meeting. She is scheduled to run in what may be the key race of the 2019 meeting, too.
Trainer Tim Hamm said Friday night that Tapa Tapa Tapa will return to Oaklawn for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 16, a 1 1/16-mile race that is also expected to attract, among others, Grade 1 winners Shamrock Rose, Midnight Bisou and Eskimo Kisses.
Tapa Tapa Tapa finished fourth in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2017 at Oaklawn. All but one of the 11 runners returned to win, including It Tiz Well, Benner Island, Elate, Ever So Clever and Lovely Bernadette in graded stakes events.
Tapa Tapa Tapa is coming off a five-length victory in the $50,000 Wayward Lass Stakes Jan. 19 at Tampa Bay, where the 5-year-old daughter of Tapit is based.
“She’s doing good,” Hamm said. “She likes a lot of space between races, so this race kind of fit space-wise. It’s pretty tough, I’m sure, but it looks like timing-wise it was a good spot.”
Tapa Tapa Tapa has worked four times since the Wayward Lass, including a 5-furlong bullet Friday morning in 59 seconds. Hamm said Tapa Tapa Tapa will be vanned to Oaklawn and is scheduled to arrive Wednesday morning. The Azeri will be her eighth start since the Honeybee.
“She’s a filly that’s been a little tough on herself,” Hamm said. “She has, obviously, a lot of ability, and those kind are always tough on themselves. But she’s really just got to do it her way and give her a lot of time. That’s what we’ve been doing. She’s doing as well as she ever has right now, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Tapa Tapa Tapa has a 5-2-1 record from 14 career starts and earnings of $180,729.
The Azeri closed Thursday with 25 nominations. Other nominees include Elate and She’s a Julie, powerful winner of the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 18. The Bayakoa and Azeri are major local preps for the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 14.
The Azeri, $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds and $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses will be part of a stakes tripleheader March 16. Nominations to the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, which may be split, closed Friday. The 1 1/16-mile Essex closed Thursday with 34 nominations.
Post positions for the three races will be drawn Wednesday.
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