Tara’s Tango Scores in Santa Margarita Stakes

Tara’s Tango Rallies to Score in Santa Margarita Stakes

By: Christopher Ado

Five entrants were looking for their first Gr. 1 victory this past Saturday at Santa Anita Park. Tara’s Tango, Penwith and Taris exited victories in the Gr. 2 Santa Maria, Royal Delta, and La Canada Stakes respectively. In the end it was Tara’s Tango who took another step forward to score her first Gr. 1 victory in the Santa Margarita.

In a race that lacked early speed, jockey Mike Smith sent 5-year-old Penwith to the front with pressure from the post time favorite Taris through a 23.69 opening quarter and a 48.65 half mile. Tara’s Tango raced in traffic between Living the Life and longshot Moyo Honey in fourth early. Once the field reached the far turn, Penwith and Taris opened up a length and a half lead on Living the Life after six furlongs in 1:13.32. Splitting rivals on the far turn, Tara’s Tango came out four wide into the stretch and used a strong late kick to blow past Taris, winning by one length in a final time of 1:50.44. Taris finished one length in front of Living the Life, who was third. The Jerry Hollendorfer four-year old trainee thrived with the addition of blinkers.

After her victory in the Gr. 2 Santa Maria Stakes, her jockey, Martin Garcia, who was at Oaklawn Park to ride Cupid to victory in the Rebel Stakes, suggested to Jerry Hollendorfer that she would be better with the blinkers. “When [Martin] won on her last time, he said she was running in spots and suggested the blinkers. They’re just small ones, but they helped. It was an exciting race and I’m very proud to get the Grade I for the owner [Stonestreet Stables]. She got a good trip and showed a lot of heart running down the favorite,” said Jerry Hollendorfer.

Tara’s Tango is a daughter of Unbridled’s Song and is the second Gr. 1 winning foal from the dam, Scarlet Tango, who produced Gr. 1 King’s Bishop winner Visionaire, earned $300,000 for her victory and jockey Rafael Bejarano was an excellent passenger biding his time before unleashing this fillies late kick. “I waited for the opportunity and when we got to the stretch, she gave me a big turn of foot and I knew I could beat the favorite.”

With the champion Beholder waiting to her make her seasonal debut this summer and the rise of Songbird as the potential superstar three-year old filly, the filly and mares division shapes up stellar group on the road to the November 4 Breeders’ Cup Distaff here at Santa Anita Park.

Payouts
Tara’s Tango $7.20 $3.00 $2.40
Taris ————– $2.40 $2.10
Living the Life ———– $3.00