For Immediate Release – Oklahoma City, Ok – October 24, 2022 — Tap the Dot won for the fifth time in his career, giving trainer Steve Asmussen his fifth Oklahoma Classics win, this one in the OKC Turf Classic at Remington Park.
The 4-year-old gelded son of Moro Tap (Tapit), out of the Langfuhr mare Dot Product, scurried home a winner at 5-2 odds as a co-favorite in the race. The other 5-2 competitor, Quarky, showed great speed early, but faded to last.
Jockey Stewart Elliott got his second win on the Classics card, also winning aboard Ghost Hero in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile. He now has three Classics wins, also taking the Oklahoma Classics Lassie with Morning Twilight last year.
It was the first win in this race for all connections. Tap the Dot is owned by Asmussenequine.com (Cash Asmussen and Martin Riley) of Laredo, Texas. Cash is Steve’s brother and was a world-renowned rider overseas for years after winning the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in North America in 1979.
“We bought this horse as a yearling at the Heritage Fall Mixed-Sale three years ago (for $5,700),” said Riley. “Cash broke him and he has just turned into a cool little horse.”
Tap the Dot sat in mid-pack in fifth down the backstretch with Elliott, one of the top turf riders at Remington the past few years, looking for running room as he approached the top of the stretch. There was only one more horse to pass at that point and he collared Half Ours to Keep (3-1) down the lane and went on to win by 2-3/4 lengths. Rantheredlight (8-1) was a game closer that got up for third, another 1-3/4 lengths back.
Tap the Dot paid $7.40 to win, $4 to place and $3.40 to show.
The winning time in the 1-1/16th miles grass race over the firm course was 1:44.29. Tap the Dot chased early fractions set by Quarky of :24.35 for the first quarter-mile, :49.16 for the half-mile, 1:13.34 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:37.94 for the mile.
Tap the Dot earned his best paycheck in the Turf Classic with a $68,880 payout and he improved lifetime to 13 starts, five wins, four seconds and one third for a total bankroll of $197,081. A solid profit for a horse bought for less than $6,000. He was bred in Oklahoma by Jinger Clemmer.
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Tracked by more than 171,000 fans on Facebook and 10,600 Twitter followers, Remington Park has provided more than $301 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park features the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks on Sunday, September 25. Thoroughbred racing continues through December 17 with simulcast racing daily, and a casino that is always open! Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.
