No rush with Tap Tap Tapping

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - It would not have been a surprise if Tap Tap Tapping would have stepped up and run Saturday in the $75,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn. She was an impressive maiden winner at the race's one-mile distance here last month and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83. But trainer David Vance is not getting in a rush with the promising filly and instead has her set to run in the overnight ranks Sunday at Oaklawn.

"We want to bring her along a little slower," Vance said. "She's not ready to go into a stakes yet. That wasn't the right spot. We decided to wait and see if this race would go."

Tap Tap Tapping leads Sunday's ninth, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds fillies at a mile that carries an optional claiming price of $40,000. Others in the seven-horse field include No Such Word, who was cross-entered in the Martha Washington, and Crossfirehurricane, a maiden winner this past fall at Saratoga.

Tap Tap Tapping has run twice. In her debut, she was fourth in a maiden special weight at Turfway Park on Dec. 16. One start later, she came rolling from more than 10 lengths back to win her maiden here going away, proving seven lengths best on Jan. 17.

"The first time she ran, she didn't care for the Polytrack," Vance said. "She didn't like it beating her in the face. The first time we ran her here, she ran a big race."

Tap Tap Tapping, a daughter of Tapit who races for Carl Pollard, is bred to be quite effective routing.

"She's all long," Vance said. "Her mother has mile-and-a-quarter breeding. Tapit won the Wood Memorial at a mile and an eighth. All his pedigree says longer, too."

Vance said that physically Tap Tap Tapping is a tall filly who is still growing out. Apprentice Freddie Lenclud has the mount Sunday.

No Such Word, who was fourth in a first-level allowance sprint at Oaklawn on Jan. 24, will be making her two-turn debut Sunday. Trainer Cindy Jones has said she believes the added ground will serve No Such Word well. Terry Thompson has the mount Sunday.

Crossfirehurricane won a $75,000 maiden-claiming race at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Saratoga last September. She then was second in a first-level allowance on dirt at Fair Grounds before finishing seventh last out in the $50,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn.