By Steve Sherack
In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.
Tipsy Tammy (f, 3, Arrogate–Peggy May, by Lemon Drop Kid) ran a winning race on debut. She just didn't win.
Those were the words of trainer Phil Bauer, who saddled the highly regarded $600,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase to a strong second-place finish behind 'TDN Rising Star' Impel (Quality Road) on debut at Fair Grounds Jan. 1.
Sporting a pair of bullet breezes on her worktab, the Rigney Racing colorbearer wasn't much of a secret and was off as the 4-5 favorite in the six-furlong affair.
Tipsy Tammy jumped well from post three and battled for command from an outside second with Impel in hot pursuit in third through an opening quarter in a sharp :21.89. Tipsy Tammy poked her head in front as Impel began to wind up with a flashy sweep on the far turn.
Tipsy Tammy fought on gamely along the rail as they straightened for home, but couldn't match strides with the Brad Cox-trained Juddmonte homebred down the lane. Impel crossed the wire 3 1/4 lengths to the good and it was another 10 3/4 lengths back to the distant third-place finisher.
Tipsy Tammy earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.
“Really thought she ran really well,” Bauer said. “Progression and maturity, she should move forward, hopefully.”
He continued, “It was as advertised. Obviously, when you spend that kind of money, you hope they turn out to be something special. She indicated that to us in the mornings and everybody was on to her as well. I think that was the reason for the short price.
Brad (Cox)'s horse shipped in from Kentucky, so maybe a little bit of camouflage there. No shame in running second to something like that. Visually, I thought they both ran winning efforts. They just got the better of us.”
Tipsy Tammy will look to go one better in her second career start in a six-furlong, $57,000 maiden special weight at Fair Grounds next Thursday. With a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 4/5 (1/12) under her belt in the interim, the 8-5 morning-line favorite has drawn widest of all in post seven. Mitchell Murrill will be at the controls once again.
Phil Bauer & Richard Rigney | Keeneland
“Who knows? Sometimes it's beneficial to get two starts in the maiden ranks and try and get some more seasoning before you take on winners,” Bauer said.
“She's put together really well and a very efficient mover. Obviously, you always hope that they'll stretch out a little bit in distance, which I think she will based on her training. We thought coming back in a three-quarter event would be the right move to try and get the maiden broke, then probably point towards something at Keeneland.”
Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Tipsy Tammy hails from the third and final crop of the much-missed Arrogate, who is already responsible for five Grade I winners, led by the recently crowned champion 3-year-old Arcangelo. She was the highest-priced yearling filly by Arrogate to sell in 2022 and the third most expensive overall of 61 yearlings by the late Hall of Famer to change hands that year.
The half-sister to MSW Doc Boy (Into Mischief) was produced by Peggy May, an unraced daughter of champion grass mare Perfect Sting (Red Ransom). The Adena Springs-bred Peggy May brought $170,000 from breeder Sierra Farm while in foal to Awesome Again at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.
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