An Asmussen win would make The Coach's first running a memorable one

The families of the late D. Wayne Lukas and Steve Asmussen have been close for more than 60 years, so it would be fitting if the Asmussen trainee Tap Into This were to win the inaugural The Coach, a $135,000 overnight stakes honoring Lukas on Friday at Oaklawn Park.

Lukas died in June at the age of 89 after a Hall of Fame career in racing. He was a part of Asmussen’s life from the start, as Lukas was introduced to the future fellow Hall of Famer when Asmussen was just an infant.

“Wayne was an inspiration, as in, ‘Look what I can accomplish. Look where I came from. Get up and do it!’ ” Asmussen said, “For me, Wayne’s like, ‘Let’s go kick their [butts]!’ And he included you. He didn’t compete with you. He included you. Wayne, to me, signifies the best part of racing that I grew up in.”

Tap Into This is part of a six-horse field for The Coach, a 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds who have never won a stakes other than statebred. Others set to start include Zero Sugar, the runner-up in the Zia Park Derby; Amorosa, a two-time stakes winner against Iowa-breds; and First Division, an allowance winner opening day at Oaklawn.

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Tap Into This has won three of his last four starts. In each of those four races, he has earned Beyer Speed Figures in the 90s.

“He’s a talented horse that time has helped a lot, and he has a chance of being a very significant older horse,” said Asmussen.

Tap Into This enters The Coach off a fast-closing third in a third-level allowance Nov. 30. The seven-furlong race was run at Churchill Downs. “It was too short,” said Asmussen.

Joel Rosario, who was aboard Tap Into This when he won a mile allowance in August at Saratoga, has the mount from post 4.

Tap Into This is a son of Tapit who races for Doug Scharbauer. He is a half-brother to Extra Anejo, a Grade 3 winner of more than $600,000.

Tap Into This could settle off Amorosa, who might show the way after dueling through quick fractions and finishing second last out in a six-furlong overnight stakes at Oaklawn. Amorosa is moving back to the distance over which he won the $75,000 Cyclones Handicap over older Iowa-breds in August at Prairie Meadows. Tyler Bacon has the mount from post 5 for Poindexter Thoroughbreds and trainer Chris Hartman.

Zero Sugar was beaten just a half-length in the Zia Park Derby, a Nov. 25 race that served as his first start since March. Last season at Oaklawn, he was second in a quick maiden special weight race won by the well-regarded Cornucopian. Francisco Arrieta has the mount from post 2 for trainer Cipriano Contreras.

First Division won an allowance at this distance Dec. 12 at Oaklawn. He’s a half-brother to Corningstone, a multiple stakes winner who has earned more than $975,000.

The field is completed by Bestfriend Rocket, who was an allowance winner for Lukas last season at Oaklawn, and Royal Bro, who is coming off a closing third in an allowance sprint at Oaklawn.

◗ Oaklawn is scheduled to play a video tribute to Lukas following the running of The Coach, according to track executive Chris Ho.

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