ARCADIA, Calif. – Between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Team Nyquist can focus on races other than the 2016 Triple Crown, starting with the first race Thursday at Santa Anita. That is where Tap It All, an expensive 2-year-old filly, begins her career with high expectations. “You start dreaming with horses like her,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. Dreams are what horse racing is all about, and in Tap It All’s case, the ride is only getting started. “They paid a big check for her,” O’Neill said. “But she’s a classy, good-looking filly. We’ll see how it goes Thursday, and we’ll enjoy the journey.” Under normal circumstances, an unraced filly does not command attention on a Santa Anita card that includes an outstanding turf sprint as the featured race. But Tap It All, purchased for $800,000 in March, is above normal. Dennis O’Neill, who bought Nyquist for $400,000 on behalf of owner Paul Reddam, went to $800,000 for Tap It All. “She’s just a beautiful, beautiful filly,” Dennis O’Neill said. “I told Paul this was the best filly I’ve seen at a sale, so he said, ‘Keep going [bidding].’ ” At the time, $800,000 was the most Reddam had paid for a horse; he is partners in the filly with professional hockey player Erik Johnson, a defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche. Sired by first-crop stallion Tapizar, Tap It All was no secret at the sale. “Her breeze was really, really good, and she galloped out really, really good,” Dennis O’Neill said. “I thought by a freshman sire, maybe she would be affordable. I wasn’t right about that.” He was right that she has the tools, and since arriving at Santa Anita two months ago, Tap It All has done almost everything right. She has broken slow from the gate in practice but was sharp Monday under Mario Gutierrez. Tap It All went three furlongs from the gate in a quick 35.80 seconds. Tap It All runs 4 1/2 furlongs against five rivals in race 1; a good field of turf sprinters entered race 5, including the Phil D’Amato-trained Hunt and Cape Wolfe. Both 4-year-olds are deeper into their career than the 2-year-olds, but the objective is similar. “With these horses, we’re still developing them,” D’Amato said, speculating that both might stretch out in future races. Hunt has made seven starts in the U.S., his last three were his best – two wins and a third on the hillside course. Cape Wolfe has made three U.S. starts, including a second and third in downhill stakes. Hunt and Cape Wolfe will be among the top choices in the allowance turf sprint, facing a good field that includes veteran Grade 3 winner No Silent and likely pacesetter Spirit Rules. Race 1 KEY CONTENDERS Tap It All, by Tapizar ◗ Tap It All was purchased at the Fasig-Tipton March sale; she is the first runner produced by stakes winner Yawkey Way, a daughter of Grand Slam. Diamondinthecenter, by Gemologist ◗ Jeff Bonde trains Diamondinthecenter, a $170,000 purchase at OBS March. By first-crop stallion Gemologist, the filly is the seventh runner from the Storm Cat mare Charming Tootsie. Her first six foals are multiple winners. Race 5 KEY CONTENDERS Hunt, by Dark Angel Last 3 Beyers: 89-89-89 DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Cape Wolfe. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 25-3-6-5 with a $1.58 ROI over the past year in turf sprints at Santa Anita when making a jockey change.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan :: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts ◗ The recent improvement by Hunt coincides with a switch to the hill and revised strategy under new rider Flavien Prat. “He showed tactical speed in the mornings, and we wanted to utilize his speed and put him in the race,” D’Amato said. “It seems to have worked.” Cape Wolfe, by Piccolo Last 3 Beyers: 95-93-91 DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Hunt. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 20-1-7-6 with a $0.96 ROI over the past five years in turf sprints at Santa Anita with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan :: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts ◗ He scratched from the American Stakes on Friday when the one-mile race was taken off the turf and run on the main track. “It’s either run [Thursday] or sit on him a month and a half,” D’Amato said. ◗ Whom does D’Amato prefer? “I really think they’re both equal,” he said. “It’s whoever gets the trip or whoever the race sets up better for.”◗ Mike Smith rides Cape Wolfe.