That Tat goes after his third Folklore

A horse like That Tat can make an owner's participation in racing sweet. Claimed for $20,000, the gelding That Tat has won five stakes for Ken Murphy, and on Saturday will attempt to win his third straight $50,000 Folklore Handicap at Louisiana Downs.

That Tat is the 122-pound highweight in the 6 1/2-furlong race, and he is one of three starters in the six-horse field trained by Cole Norman. Norman also trains Dash for Daylight, who is coupled with That Tat, and Pike Place Gold, who has won his last two starts by a combined 13 lengths for owner Donald Adam.

Known around the barn as a laid-back horse, That Tat is anything but that on the racetrack. He was prominent throughout when he won the $50,000 Island Whirl Handicap by three-quarters of a length in his last start July 18.

Murphy claimed That Tat in March 2002. In all, the 6-year-old That Tat, who is 6, has won 14 of 39 starts and $450,585. He earned more than $200,000 of that amount last year, when he won four straight races, including the $100,000 Beck Auto Group Turf Sprint and the $75,000 Ford Express, both at Lone Star Park.

His success helped lift Murphy to a strong year as an owner. His Southwest-based stable won 66 races and $984,520 in purses, including his third straight owner title at Lone Star. Through Wednesday, Murphy had 33 wins and earnings of $508,582. Close to a fifth of that was earned by That Tat.

Pike Place Gold has not start since May 26, when he romped to a 7 1/2-length win in a conditioned allowance at Lone Star. He earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest last-race number. Francisco Torres has the mount.

Others of interest in the race include Ole Rebel, who won the $50,000 Kings Court on May 29 at Louisiana Downs. In his most recent start, he closed strongly against That Tat in the Island Whirl, and he might benefit from the additional half-furlong he runs on Saturday.