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Rigney Racing’s Tam Tam will look to continue her emergence on the turf when she runs in Saturday’s $750,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1).
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The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro enters the 1 1/8-mile invitational for 3-year-old fillies off a victory in the Aug. 22 Del Mar Oaks (G1), where she scored by 1¼ lengths in her first G1 start. The victory marked another step forward for Tam Tam and gave her connections confidence that she belongs among the top fillies in the division. Trainer Phil Bauer said Tam Tam has continued to impress him in the mornings as she prepares for Saturday’s race.
“She’s one of those horses that makes you smile when she trains,” Bauer said. “She’s coming into it as good as we can ask her to.”
Much of Tam Tam’s success has come since making the transition from dirt to turf, a change Bauer believes has brought out the best in the filly. Her improvement on the surface has been significant, with Bauer pointing to her ability to handle the grass.
“I think it was the surface switch,” Bauer said. “She seems night and day to me as far as just being able to get a hold of the grass. ”
Junior Alvarado has been aboard Tam Tam throughout her last five starts and has seen the progress firsthand. He credited Bauer for developing the filly and believes she has shown she belongs against top-level competition.
“Phil Bauer has done an amazing job developing her,” Alvarado said. “I could tell he always liked her, and you can see the progress. She’s been handling the Grade 1 company well, but this is going to be a tough race.”
Alvarado said the key will be allowing Tam Tam to run comfortably rather than trying to force her into a particular style.
“I think for her, it’s about letting her do what she wants to do,” Alvarado said. “She doesn’t want to be held too much and doesn’t want me to get into a fight with her. As long as you let her travel without fighting her, she will always give you a kick at the end.”
In the QE II, Tam Tam drew post 3 in the 11-horse race. She is the 4-1 third choice in the morning line.
Lookin At Diamond Takes On Another Grade 1 Field
Trainer Leonard Powell saw enough in Lookin At Diamond’s G1 debut in California to take another shot at the highest level in Kentucky.
Lookin At Diamond makes her second straight G1 start in Saturday’s $750,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup off a closing second in the Del Mar Oaks. The 3-year-old daughter of Lookin At Lucky arrived at Keeneland Tuesday and settled into the stable area as her trainer expected.
“She’s a very straightforward filly, no problems here or at home,” Powell said outside the filly’s stall Thursday morning. “She shipped in Tuesday, jogged Wednesday and galloped (Thursday).”
On Thursday, Lookin At Diamond also visited the paddock with fellow California shipper Ag Bullet, set to race in Sunday’s Franklin (G2), and runners from trainers Steve Asmussen, Brendan Walsh, Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown during a busy schooling session. Lookin At Diamond galloped again Friday.
Owned and bred by Diamond 100 Racing Club, Lookin At Diamond won a maiden race in her second start May 2 at Santa Anita before a third there in the Honeymoon (L) prior to the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks. In the Del Mar Oaks, she finished second by 1¼ lengths to Tam Tam and edged Kensington Lane by that same margin for the place spot.
“That was a very good run,” Powell said of the Del Mar Oaks. “The winner was much the best that day, but the winner got a very good trip, too. We had to close from the back of the pack. I’d lost a bit of training with her early in the meet, in July, so hopefully we can move up a bit and be closer.”
Lookin At Diamond didn’t miss any training after the Del Mar Oaks. She tuned up for the QE II with a pair of easy works – a half in :51.40 Sept. 20 and five furlongs in 1:00.80 Sept. 27 – at Santa Anita before heading east.
In the 1 1/8-mile QE II, Lookin At Diamond will meet Tam Tam and Kensington Lane again in a strong field led by King’s Plate winner Luster, G3 winner and G1-placed Faithful Departed and European shipper Braida. Lookin At Diamond is 20-1 on the morning line for Powell and jockey Julien Leparoux. With a victory, she will become Powell’s first Keeneland winner.
“Coming out of (the Del Mar Oaks) gave me confidence to come here,” Powell said. “The fact she’s Kentucky-bred makes it more enticing. She showed last time that she belongs with those, you know? And there aren’t many opportunities for 3-year-old fillies, restricted to 3-year-old fillies.”
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This story was originally published October 9, 2026 at 9:27 AM.