Tac Me Up can make statement in Kaweah Bar Handicap

This may be a good spring and summer for a 4-year-old gelding such as Tac Me Up, who runs in Saturday’s $35,000 Kaweah Bar Handicap at Los Alamitos.

With the retirements of 2019 World Champion He Looks Hot and the multiple stakes winner BH Lisas Boy, there is a glaring lack of depth at the top of the older Quarter Horse division in California. Tac Me Up could have a more prominent role after the Kaweah Bar Handicap, run at 350 yards.

“He’s turning into an honest horse,” trainer Chris O’Dell said Thursday. “We’re happy about that.”

Tac Me Up has won 7 of 20 starts and earned $139,409. Last year, Tac Me Up qualified for three derbies and was second in the $168,700 Southern California Derby in December. He was part of a memorable season for O’Dell, who had career-best earnings of $2.1 million and earned his first title as champion trainer.

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Earlier this year, Tac Me Up won the $25,000 Cypress Handicap in January and was third in the $15,000 Mr Jet Moore Handicap on March 21, finishing a neck behind Alamode and Rite Quick, who are part of the seven-runner Kaweah Bar Handicap field.

“I think he was a little short,” O’Dell said of the recent loss. “I think he’s ready to go.”

The field also includes the highly regarded Chocolatito, who was second by a nose in the $140,000 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association Breeders’ Derby in October and fourth in the Southern California Derby.

Trained by Scott Willoughby, Chocolatito has been favored in nine of his 12 starts. He won the Dillingham Handicap at 400 yards at Los Alamitos last May.

Chocolatito and Tac Me Up have the inside two post positions in the Kaweah Bar. Alamode will start from post 6. O’Dell said he would have preferred a stall farther to the outside for Tac Me Up.

“I’m worried about that,” O’Dell said of the draw. “Alamode has a good post.”

Alamode, who could have been claimed for $16,000 in December, won his first stakes in the Mr Jet Moore Handicap, finishing a head in front of Rite Quick.

The Kaweah Bar Handicap is the last of nine races on a program that begins at 9 p.m. Eastern, or 6 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.