Oaks victory greatly expands options for Flying Glitter

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Ronny Werner doesn't know when or where Flying Glitter will run next following her pacesetting score in Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 for 3-year-old fillies.

The trainer does know she created a fresh range of options with the Oaks victory.

"She came out of it great," Werner said. "I wanted to see how the distance shaped up. That was a little bit of a question mark."

Flying Glitter handled the 1 1/16 miles just fine in posting her first two-turn victory.

"Things have changed quick," Werner said. "We answered some questions on distance, so now we get a chance to regroup. This opened up a lot of doors."

The Oaks win was also Flying Glitter's first victory away from Churchill Downs, where she has three wins and a second in four starts.

"She stepped up to the plate and answered a couple of questions," Werner said. "She's a very gutsy filly who is great to work with."

The Oaks win provided a happy ending to a stressful two-week period.

Werner had originally targeted the Grade 1 Test Stakes, a seven-furlong race at Saratoga, on Aug. 6. That plan fell apart when Flying Glitter started coughing. She had some draining in the guttural pouches that cleared up in time for the Oaks.

"She got a little sick on me, but we overcame that quick enough to go in this race," Werner said.

Toll Taker, winner of the off-the-turf Boiling Springs early in the meet, was third in Oaks despite some trouble on the second turn.

"She kind of got bumped and lost her action for a stride or two," said trainer Tim Hills. "She lost her momentum and maybe it cost her second. She shows up and runs hard every time. You've got to love her for that."

Tacirring overcomes adversity

Tacirring continued his remarkable comeback from a sometimes fatal disease with a fourth straight stakes victory Saturday in the $55,000 Sneakbox Stakes at five furlongs on the turf.

The 6-year-old Tacirring contracted equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), which attacks the central nervous system, following his maiden win in the fall of 2001. He suffered a relapse in February 2004.

"He dropped down to 800 pounds," trainer Scott Lake said of the reaction to the treatment following the relapse. "I thought it was going to kill him."

Tacirring not only stayed alive, but has emerged this year as the king of the Mid-Atlantic turf sprinters.

Tacirring will probably run next in Monmouth's My Frenchman Stakes on Sept. 3.

Gold Garters comes east

Gold Garters will race outside California for the first time in the $39,000 feature on Wednesday.

The 5-year-old Gold Garters, who has won 2 of 12 starts, makes her first start for Hills in the six-furlong, first-level allowance.

Hills has had Gold Garters at Monmouth for two months after the owners, Royal Lines Stable, decided to shift coasts.

"The tracks were kind of hard on her out there and she had one minor problem after another," Hills said. "They decided to try a more forgiving East Coast track."

Gold Garters seems comfortable in the new surroundings.

"She has trained well," Hills said. "She's a very good work horse. She wants to do too much in her works, so we are pretty conservative with her breezes. It looks like she's coming up to the race very well."

Golden Garters's best efforts have come when she drops back and makes a late run.

Kirk Ziadie entered the pair of Royal Dove and Water Walker. Both were claimed last time out.

Royal Dove is a 5-year-old picked up for $22,000 out of a fourth-place finish in a turf route.

Water Walker, a 3-year-old, was taken for $40,000 out of her maiden victory.