That Tat to meet Doctor Mike again

That Tat and Doctor Mike, who have been rivals for the past two meets at Louisiana Downs, will face each other for the final time this meeting in Sunday's $40,000 Island Whirl Handicap.

Doctor Mike won the seven-furlong Island Whirl by 1 1/2 lengths over That Tat a year ago, but That Tat had the upper hand in their most recent stakes meeting, when he won the $50,000 Folklore, at 6 1/2 furlongs, by a 1 3/4 lengths over Doctor Mike.

Doctor Mike will try to turn the tables Saturday, and he has a lot in his favor. "I think his best race is seven-eighths," said Troy Young, who trains Doctor Mike for Valene Farms.

Doctor Mike will also remove blinkers for the race, which is a high-percentage equipment change for Young, and gets three pounds from highweight That Tat. Gerard Melancon has the mount Saturday.

Jamie Theriot will ride That Tat, who has won 5 of 8 starts this year, including the $100,000 Beck Auto Group Turf Sprint. He will break from the rail.

That Tat's trainer, Cole Norman, looks for a strong race from the horse, who has been named champion sprinter at Louisiana Downs.

"He needs to put a good show on," said Norman.

The horse both That Tat and Doctor Mike will have to turn back in the stretch is Compendium, who will be cutting back from a mile following a powerful wire-to-wire win in the $35,000 Chick Lang Memorial Handicap at Retama Park on Sept. 20. Lonnie Meche has the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen.