- Nov 29, 2025
- 1 min read
Tap the Champagne returned to Churchill Downs in a bid for a 3rd straight victory, and it took a determined Weighted Average to deny her.
Friday the Tapit mare out of dual Gr1 producer Champagne Royale (French Deputy) finished a resolute 2nd in a meeting of two stakes-bound turf fillies. Tap the Champagne took a slim lead into the last furlong after working hard under Walter Rodriguez to find clear running off the turn.
Weighted Average, to her outside, was also finishing well and prevailed by a 1/2 length over Tap the Champagne, with each filly toting co-high weight of 123 lbs.
Tap to Champagne has found her career-best stride under trainer Michele Nihei, for whom she was dominant in back-to-back starts over the Laurel Park turf. That prompted a return to Louisville, where she ran 3rd in her 2023 career debut on dirt.
Sourced for private purchase, Champagne Royale is dam of eight winners to date. In 2014 at 6yo Majestic Harbor (Rockport Harbor) won his first of four stakes, the Gr1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita, same year his 1/2 brother Danza (Street Boss) won the Gr1 Arkansas Derby.