Makena, Two Taps getting good at right time
ARCADIA, Calif. – While some horses achieve instant notoriety, others, such as Makena and Two Taps, develop gradually. The wait is paying off.
Halfway through their 4-year-old campaigns, Makena and Two Taps meet Thursday in a second-level allowance route at Santa Anita. Each filly scored a decisive victory last out, both have trained well since, and both have pedigrees that suggest that their best races are still ahead.
Makena is 2 for 2 since stretching out to two turns. Trainer Scott Hansen believes the longer trip is the main reason for her progression.
“I think it’s the distance,” he said. “She’s got a high cruising speed, but she doesn’t want to go 21, 44.”
That is not necessary in a 1 1/16-mile race such as the featured race Thursday. Two starts back, Makena overcame a slow start to win a maiden route from the back of the pack, then pressed her way to a 3 1/4-length allowance victory last out.
Though she has not started since early April, Makena is dead fit, according to Hansen.
“She always trains very forwardly,” he said. “She’s one of the best work horses I’ve had.”
Two Taps has not started since early March, when she defeated next-out stakes winner Sheer Pleasure by 1 3/4 legnths. Two Taps is trained by John Shirreffs, who said her layoff is not an issue.
“Sometimes with a filly, you only want to run them when they are sort of peaking,” Shirreffs said. “If you’re not in sync with the condition book, sometimes you have to pass.”
Is she peaking now?
“Yes,” Shirreffs said, emphasizing that Two Taps has worked very well for her first start in nearly three months.
Makena was tabbed the 9-5 favorite by Santa Anita linemaker Jon White. Two Taps and Surfside Tiara, who is stretching out, are 5-2. The pace could be set by Surfside Tiara or Big Break; Show Stealer and turf specialist Causeway Carolyn will rally late.
KEY CONTENDERS
Makena, by Pioneerof the Nile
Last 3 Beyers: 85-78-82
◗ If she continues to improve, Hansen and owner Gary Broad will consider running Makena in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch on July 30 at Del Mar.
◗ Hansen said the addition of Lasix three starts back contributed to her improvement.
◗ Drayden Van Dyke rides Makena, whose second dam is the marathon turf stakes winner Lapuma. A return to turf has been discussed for Makena.
Two Taps, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 81-81-79
◗ Progeny of Tapit tend to be high-strung, often tossing their head and fighting the bit. To alleviate the potential quirk, Shirreffs uses a small plastic bit for Two Taps rather than a figure eight and tongue tie.
“The trick was to teach her to really like the bit, to let her deal with this tiny thing in her mouth,” Shirreffs said. “It’s all about them enjoying what they are doing.”
◗ Two Taps won the second start of her career in a sprint at Santa Anita, but Shirreffs said, “She is a two-turn filly, no doubt.”
◗ Mike Smith rides Two Taps, whose dam, Two Trail Sioux, won a Grade 2 and placed in a Grade 1.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Two Taps. Trainer John Shirreffs is 27-4-3-5 with a $0.59 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes in Southern California following a layoff of 45 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Show Stealer, by Eskendereya
Last 3 Beyers: 75-77-80
◗ She finished second last out at the same level.
◗ Art Sherman trains, and Tyler Baze is up.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Big Break. Trainer Steve Knapp is 14-5-0-1 with a $8.12 ROI over the past two years going turf to dirt at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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