Tam Tam takes over late in the Del Mar Oaks, Benoit Photo
Del Mar Press
Rigney Racing’s Tam Tam shipped west off a smart win in a grass stakes at Churchill Downs’ in June, and ran gamely to score a length and a quarter victory in the $302,500 Del Mar Oaks Presented by Keeneland Sales Saturday.
The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro ran the nine furlongs on turf in 1:48.06 under Junior Alvarado for trainer Phil Bauer. Both rider and trainer were winning their first stakes race at Del Mar.
The bay miss tracked pacesetter Kensington Lane from the chute to the turn for home, then fired hard late to register the victory over fast-closing Lookin At Diamond, who runs for Diamone 100 Racing Club.
Finishing third, another length and a quarter back, was race favorite Kensington Lane, who is owned by Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing and Evan Trommer.
Tam Tam returned $7.40 to her backers in the Saturday crowd. She now has four wins in nine starts and with the $180,000 winners’ share she now sports earnings of $648,800.
JUNIOR ALVARADO (Tam Tam, Winner) – “I was pretty confident. Normally, she is a filly that likes to pull a little more in the bridle, and she was completely off the bridle today. She was travelling beautifully, but I just didn’t know what to expect when I asked her to go. Normally she is more aggressive, but I guess she was just in a good rate and enjoying the ride. When I turned for home and I asked her for her best she just really had a good turn of foot. She seems like every race she matures. If she starts doing it like she did today where she can actually relax and not pull too much, that is just going to make her tough going on.”
JOEL ROSARIO (Kensington Lane, Third) – “ I thought I still had a little horse turning for home, but they were all definitely coming. They finished fast so I thought she put in a good effort.”
PHILIP BAUER (Tam Tam, winner) – “I was happy (with the trip) but at the same time mildly concerned because I thought in the Regret it was a similar trip and she didn’t punch home as well. When he was knuckling at her in the turn I was a little nervous but boy she answered the call. This is just pure relief. We felt like we had some fillies the last few years with Grade 1 talent and we just couldn’t get it done. Glad we could get the tag next her name.“
FRACTIONS: :24.14 :48.29 1:12.82 1:36.61 1:48.06
The stakes win was the first at Del Mar for both rider Alvarado and trainer Bauer.
The winning owners, Rigney Racing, is owned by Richard Rigney and his wife Tammy from Louisville, KY.
