Lone Star Park: Taptam may face males

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Taptam, who is the Texas-bred horse of the year for 2010, might take on males next month in the $75,000 Assault at Lone Star. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up bred in Texas is one of four restricted stakes on the annual Stars of Texas Day card July 9.

“There’s a good chance she’ll be coming back to Texas for the Assault,” said Bret Calhoun, who trains Taptam for Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch.

Taptam last raced at Prairie Meadows, and finished in a dead heat for second in the $60,000 Wild Rose on May 28. Earlier this year, she defeated males in the $100,000 Star of Texas for statebreds at Sam Houston. Taptam, a 6-year-old by Pleasant Tap, has earned more than $500,000.

One of her younger siblings, the 2-year-old Tamnation, is being pointed for the $100,000 colts and geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes on the Assault card, according to Calhoun. Tamnation was a sharp debut winner at Lone Star on April 21. Both he and Taptam are out of the mare Salty Tam, and they were bred by Sanders.