They came from all over, including overseas for the 70th running of the $302,500 Del Mar Oaks (G1T) for 3-year-old fillies Aug. 22 at the eponymous track. In the end, it was indeed one of those invaders, Kentucky shipper Tam Tam, who took the major event, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths.
Tam Tam, who is trained by Phil Bauer for his private client Rigney Racing, has come to hand this year after getting her feet wet with a handful of starts at age 2. She opened her 3-year-old campaign with a maiden special weight victory in February at Gulfstream Park, in her fourth career start, then stepped up to win the Sanibel Island Stakes.
Returning to Bauer's Churchill Downs base this spring, Tam Tam was second by a head in the Edgewood Stakes (G2T) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard, then was third as the favorite in the Regret Stakes (G3T) later that month. She then scored what became a breakthrough victory in the Tepin Stakes June 27 at Churchill Downs, rolling by 5 3/4 lengths. Rather than staying home to target stakes at the rich Kentucky Downs meet that is on the horizon, the Tepin win led Bauer and Rigney to look to the West Coast to pursue a grade 1 victory, which would eventually add to her value as a broodmare for the operation.
"We wanted to make sure we gave this filly every opportunity to win a grade 1," Bauer told the Del Mar in-house broadcast immediately postrace. "After the Tepin, we targeted this race and gave her ample time, and she shipped well and had a great week."
Tam Tam retained the services of regular rider Junior Alvarado, who was also on hand to ride favored Knightsbridge in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) immediately following; they rolled home to give the rider a grade 1 double on the day.
This duo broke well in the Del Mar Oaks, but were unhurried early. Meanwhile, the favored Belmont Oaks (G1T) winner Kensington Lane crossed over from toward the outside of the gate to assume the lead and save ground through a fairly leisurely opening first quarter of :24.14. Kensington Lane crept away by 1 1/2 lengths through her half in :48.29. Tam Tam moved to engage on the far turn, drawing within half a length. Once straightened away, Alvarado set her down in earnest. It took a few strides to dispose of the game early leader, but then she drew clear, and easily fended off a late bid from longshot Lookin At Diamond.
"This is what it's all about," said Bauer, admitting it was hard to find the words at seeing the venture pay off. "This is a tremendous ripple effect moving forward for our program."
The time for the 1 1/8 miles on the turf rated firm was 1:48.06, as Tam Tam returned $7.40 to her backers.
After Lookin At Diamond in second, it was another 1 1/4 lengths to Kensington Lane, who held third by a head over Green Carrera. They were followed, in order, by Inbox, Raiding Party, Victorious Dream, Define, Peanutbutterbombe, and Wild Like the West.
Tam Tam, by Medaglia d'Oro, was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. She is out of the Distorted Humor mare Princess Julia, who Stonestreet acquired as a yearling for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Princess Julia is, in turn, out of Eclipse Award champion Folklore, who is from a significant family also responsible for the likes of champions Essential Quality and Contrail. The young Tam Tam was a $975,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale in 2024 by Richard Rigney's Rigney Racing.
Medaglia d'Oro was pensioned following the 2025 season, which he stood for $75,000 at Darley's Jonabell Farm stallion base in Kentucky. He continues to reside at the farm as a pensioner. Medaglia d'Oro's final crop arrived this year; meanwhile, he is well represented on the track this season by the likes of last year's champion 3-year-old filly Nitrogen, recently a strong second in the Whitney Stakes (G1); graded winners East Avenue, Shifty, and Grand Sonata; the comebacking 2025 Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer; and now, another grade 1 winner in Tam Tam.
