Beautifully bred Tap for Me coming of age

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is a fan of Tap for Me.

You might even call him a “groupie” when it comes to the daughter of Tapit and the champion racemare Groupie Doll.

“She’s beautiful,” he said.

The striking gray filly will run Friday in the featured eighth race at Oaklawn Park. The first-level allowance for fillies and mares carries a claiming option of $25,000 and will be run over 1 1/16 miles. The field of 10 includes one of the meet’s winningest horses in 3-year-old Warrior’s Battle.

Tap for Me, who is 4, won a maiden special weight at the distance on Feb. 13 at Oaklawn. The win came in her two-turn debut and third career start. For the effort, Tap for Me earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84, which is the best career number in the field Friday.

“She’s such a classy filly,” Asmussen said, “and plenty of ability and a lot of personality. I think the filly’s going to age extremely well.”

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Tap for Me has made one start since her more than four-length maiden score, finishing second by a length in her first start against winners April 8 at Oaklawn. The 75 Beyer she earned in the mile race is one of the best last-race numbers in Friday’s field.

Groupie Doll was a two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint who overall won 12 races from 23 starts for earnings of $2.6 million. She has had four foals to race, and all are winners by Tapit.

Isaac Castillo has the mount on Tap for Me for breeder and owner Whisper Hill Farm. Tap for Me, who has shown speed in her races, will break from post 9.

Warrior’s Battle, who also has speed, breaks from post 5 under David Cohen. She is a three-time winner at the meet and with a victory Friday would tie Gar Hole as the winningest horse this season at Oaklawn.

Warrior’s Battle is facing older horses for the first time, after going 3 for 4 against fellow 3-year-olds at Oaklawn. She exits a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance at this distance March 13. The winner of the race, Interstatedaydream, went on to finish third in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

Warrior’s Battle is a half-sister to millionaire Warrior’s Charge. She races for the partnership of Ten Strike Racing and Titletown Racing. Brad Cox trains the daughter of Khozan.

Cox is third in the current Oaklawn trainer standings, with 29 wins heading into the final two weeks of the meet. He ranks second in stable earnings with $3.7 million.

Asmussen currently leads all trainers in both wins, 54, and stable earnings, $4.1 million.

Other notable runners set to start in the Friday feature include A Broken Breeze, who is a five-time winner, and Duplicitous, who is a four-time winner. Sundial is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Time and Motion.

◗ Oaklawn has boosted the purse of the Trail’s End from $75,000 to $125,000, according to racing secretary Pat Pope. The starter allowance over 1 3/4 miles will be carded as the final race of the meet on May 8.