11.29.2002 Photo By: Benoit & Associates   The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Atlantic Ocean (above) is 8-5 on the morning line for the 38th running of the Fair Grounds Oaks (GII), which will be contested at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La. on Saturday, Mar. 8.

Lady Tak Puts Perfect Record On Line In Fair Grounds Oaks
By: John Gaver III

(Mar. 7, 2003) - Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Lady Tak will put her perfect four-for-four record on the line on Saturday, Mar. 8, when the chestnut filly goes postward as the 7-5 morning line favorite in the 38th running of the $350,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La.

The Florida-bred has yet to be seriously challenged, but will hook West Coast invader Atlantic Ocean - a winner of three consecutive races for trainer Bob Baffert - and a resurgent Belle of Perintown, who won the Silverbulletday Stakes (GII) in a gallop by 8 ¼-lengths.

A daughter of Mutakddim, Lady Tak has won both her start this winter at Fair Grounds with relative ease, stalking the pace and drawing clear in the lane to win the $100,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes on Jan. 26 by 2 ¾-lengths, and winning the Thelma Stakes in early January by a comfortable five-length margin. Her trainer, Steve Asmussen, elected to bypass the Silverbulletday in order to give Lady Tak more time between races and to have her fresh and sharp for the Fair Grounds Oaks.

"We came here this winter with this race in mind and we have put ourselves in very good shape with a great chance," said Asmussen. "We are very aware that we have a good opportunity in front of us, but it won't be easy."

Lady Tak breezed six furlongs under regular jockey Donnie Meche in a "bullet" 1:13 3/5 on Feb. 24 - a quick work for the deep surface at Fair Grounds - in a move that was completed under actual race conditions.

"Awesome," Meche told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "She worked behind horses. I just sat behind the other two horses. We let her get dirt in her face...She came back like she never even worked."

Lady Tak followed that drill up with a half-mile breeze in :48 1/5 on Mar. 3, indicating that she's on the muscle and in fine fettle heading into the race.

"I know one thing - my horse doesn't know how to get beat," Meche said. "She loves the winner's circle."

Trainer Bob Baffert, who won the Fair Grounds Oaks in 1999 with Silverbulletday, shipped in his versatile and consistent filly Atlantic Ocean for this year's renewal of the mile and a sixteenth stakes. The $1.9 million 2-year-old in training purchase by the Thoroughbred Corp comes into the race riding the momentum of a three-race winning streak, all of those scores coming in stakes races and one of them coming in a mile turf event last November.

Atlantic Ocean, a daughter of Stormy Atlantic won the Santa Ysabel Stakes (GIII) at a mile and a sixteenth trip on Jan. 5 at Santa Anita, and is coming off a game length and a half win over multiple stakes winner Ivanavinalot in the restricted Sunshine Million Oaks.

Atlantic Ocean sizzled six furlongs in 1:11 flat on Mar. 2 at Santa Anita in her final tune-up for the race. She was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on Thursday night, Mar. 6, on a flight from Southern California that also carried Louisiana Derby (GII) entrants Peace Rules and Kafwain. Jockey David Flores will be in New Orleans for the mount.

Belle Of Perintown, 5-2 on the morning line, comes into the race off a sharp 8 ¼-length triumph over fellow Fair Grounds Oaks entrants Afternoon Dreams and Rebridled Dreams in the Silverbulletday Stakes (GIII), redeeming herself off a 30 ½-length drubbing at the hands of Lady Tak in the Tiffany Lass, a race in which she reared in the gate, nearly flipped and wasn't persevered with by jockey Calvin Borel.

"She can win it if she runs back the way she did in the Silverbulletday," Belle Of Perintown's trainer, Eddie Kenneally, said. "It's certainly a lot to ask of her to run back to that race. Lady Tak is the one to fear based on her record and the fact that she has trained over this track, and I think that gives her the advantage over us and Atlantic Ocean."

The complete field for Saturday's Fair Grounds Oaks, in post position order with riders and morning line odds is Afternoon Dreams, Eddie Martin, Jr., 12-1; Belle Of Perintown, Calvin Borel, 5-2; Rebridled Dreams, Willie Martinez, 12-1; Lady Tak, Donnie Meche, 7-5; Atlantic Ocean, David Flores, 8-5 and Lovely Sage, Corey Lanerie, 12-1.

All runners will carry 121 pounds. Afternoon Dreams and Rebridled Dreams will run as a coupled Coast To Coast Racing-owned, Bret Calhoun-trained entry.

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