Tapped faces double trouble in California Oaks

The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Tapped will have to fight off Tap It All and Simmy’s Temple, stablemates from the Santa Anita barn of Doug O’Neill, in Saturday’s $50,000 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields. The California Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race, attracted a field of nine 3-year-old fillies and is race 8 on a nine-race card.

Simmy’s Temple and Tapped finished one-two in the one-mile Pike Place Dancer at Golden Gate in October. That race was transferred from the turf to the main track and remains the only non-turf start for Simmy’s Temple. Since then, she has finished fifth in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar and 10th in the Blue Norther at Santa Anita.

O’Neill said he sent Simmy’s Temple back to Golden Gate because “she showed she likes the track.”

Tapped lost by three-quarters of a length to Simmy’s Temple as the 1-5 favorite in the Pike Place Dancer, which was only her second start. She came back to run fourth in the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos and won an optional-claiming sprint on a muddy track at Santa Anita by 5 1/4 lengths on Jan. 13.

In her only appearance at Golden Gate, Tap It All ran third as the favorite behind Saturday rivals Peaked and Smiling Ann in an off-the-turf maiden race in November. She followed that with a 13 1/4-length maiden win on the turf at Turf Paradise, then lost a three-way photo after leading in the lane in the Blue Norther.

“That Turf Paradise win gave her a lot of confidence,” O’Neill said of Tap It All, an $800,000 purchase as a 2-year-old.

Smiling Ann has made her last four starts around two turns here. She ran second to Peaked and War Moccasin – also entered in the California Oaks – in a pair of maiden races, then defeated another Saturday opponent, Solana Wind, in a maiden race. In her last start, she turned the tables on Peaked, defeating her by a head to win an optional claimer Jan. 16.

“Her best asset is she runs hard all the time,” said Smiling Ann’s trainer, Ed Moger Jr.

Trainer Blaine Wright has entered Solana Wind, who came back from her loss to Smiling Ann with a maiden win here Jan. 27, and Sheeza Sassy Girl, the winner of a starter allowance sprint here a month ago.

The California Oaks will be only the fourth start for Solana Wind.

“She’s a big, strong filly, and she’s just learning,” Wright said. “She’ll get better.”

California Oaks

Key Contenders

Tapped, by Tapit

Last 3 Beyers: 75-76-66

◗ Both of her wins have come sprinting, and she’s likely to be on or near the lead here.

Tap It All, by Tapizar

Last 3 Beyers: 72-72-46

◗ Both of her wins have come on turf, although she has run well on dirt and Tapeta.

Simmy’s Temple, by Royal Applause

Last 3 Beyers: 58-66-67

◗ She recorded the highest Beyer Speed Figure of her career in the Pike Place Dancer.