Decision looms for Untapable: CCA Oaks or Haskell?

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The burning question as to whether the brilliant 3-year-old filly Untapable will take on males in her next start will remain unanswered for the time being, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday at Saratoga.

Asmussen, who arrived in town Monday, has nominated Untapable to the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here July 20. Asmussen said he, owner Ron Winchell, and his racing manager, David Fiske, also are considering running Untapable against the boys in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park one week later.

Untapable is coming off a 9 1/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont on June 28.

“I spoke with Ron and David after the Mother Goose, and we decided to get her up here for a while and watch her before we decide where to run next,” Asmussen said. “Those are the next two obvious spots if everything goes well. Keeping her sound and happy as she’s been is our major goal, and it’s our responsibility to have her ready to run her best race, no matter which one we choose. How she’s doing and the timing of the races will certainly help us make that decision.

Who goes in the two races matters to us as well, of course, but we have no control over that. We do have control over all those other things.”

Untapable has yet to work since the Mother Goose. Asmussen had originally considered breezing her here Monday but opted to wait another week.

“If we had worked her this week, it would have been yesterday,” Asmussen said shortly after the sloppy Oklahoma training track opened for business Tuesday. “But she’s a big, tall, lean thing, and what we’ve been doing has been working so far, so we’ll stay with that. I expect to work her anywhere between Sunday and Tuesday next week, depending upon the weather, with the ideal time and place being Monday over on the main track.”

Untapable has posted three one-sided victories this year in the Fair Grounds Oaks, Kentucky Oaks, and Mother Goose. She never showed her full potential last year at 2, Asmussen said.

“Her talent level last year was not reached,” he said. “She was special and talented and a filly that was 2 for 2 going into the Breeders’ Cup, and we walked over thinking she was fixing to beat them, and nothing went right there. I think who she’s been this year is who we expected the whole time. All three of her races this year have been brilliant. I think her confidence level now is where it should be, and possibly one of the things that wasn’t there last year.”

Asmussen also said he doesn’t think Untapable can be any better than she’s already been this season.

“She’s a very special horse – very special – but when you look at her numbers and how fast she’s been running, I think it would be ridiculous of me to expect even more than that,” said Asmussen.