Tiger's Song shortens up

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The $50,000 Dixie Belle at Oaklawn Park on Saturday will be the first local start for Tiger's Song and it will give her trainer, Chris Richard, something of a first look at her. A private purchase not too long ago, she invades from Calder Race Course.

"I just got her a couple of weeks ago," Richard said. "Sometimes, you've got to learn their quirks and little nuances, and I haven't had her long enough to figure that out about her.

"The bottom line is, she sure looks like she fits in the race."

Tiger's Song will start as a top choice in the Dixie Belle, a six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, after finishing third to the well-regarded Frolic's Dream in the $150,000 Joe O'Farrell for statebreds at Calder in her last start Nov. 8. She is part of a 10-horse field Saturday that includes stakes winners Seacrettina, Shining Moment, Dona's Diva, and Louisiana Lace.

Tiger's Song will be making her first start for Darrell and Evelyn Yates, who were shopping for a prospect for the 3-year-old filly series at Oaklawn.

"We thought she was an interesting filly," Richard said. "I do like her. I like the way she moves and I like the way she conducts herself."

Tiger's Song is shortening up a little in distance from seven furlongs and will be ridden by Israel Ocampo.

Shining Moment also is cutting back from seven furlongs, but her race came around two turns when fourth in the $100,000 My Trusty Cat at Delta Downs on Nov. 7. Steve Asmussen, who said Shining Moment was freshened after that race, likes the distance move the filly will be making Saturday.

"I think that's exactly what she needs to do," he said.

Shining Moment registered both of her career wins at one-turn, taking the $50,000 Prairie Meadows Gold Lassie in July and the $75,000 Opelousas at Evangeline Downs in August. Luis Quinonez has the mount on Shining Moment, who drew post 10.

Seacrettina is another runner getting back to one turn following a pacesetting effort at two last out in the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess on Dec. 5. She finished sixth in the race and has since worked five furlongs in 57.80 seconds at Lone Star Park. Quincy Hamilton has the mount on Seacrettina for trainer Joe Petalino.

The field also includes two undefeated fillies making their stakes debuts, Bootprints and Hello Again.