Stonestreet Stable’s TIZ WONDERFUL (Tiznow) was forced to steady more than
once when the gates opened on Sunday’s $110,900
Iroquois
S. (G3) on Churchill Downs’ “Stars of Tomorrow” opening day card, but didn’t
let that stop him from easily taking the mile test under Garrett Gomez.
Battling rivals rounding the final turn, the Scott Blasi-trained
ridgling pulled clear and extended his margin in the stretch to finish 6 3/4
lengths in front of his nearest pursuer while stopping the clock in 1:35 4/5. In
the process, the bay juvenile moved his record to a perfect two-for-two and
earnings to $95,584. Tiz Wonderful had broken his maiden by 12 1/2 lengths on September 2
at Saratoga.
“He did very well,” Gomez said. “He’s got a tremendous stride, and he did
things the right way in this race. He looks so much like his dad; he’s very big
just like him. This horse is only two, though, and he’s still learning. He
should get better and better.”
Sent off the 4-5 favorite against six rivals, Tiz Wonderful rewarded his
backers with payouts of $3.80, $2.60 and $2.80. What a Tale (Tale of the Cat)
rallied after running in fourth early to take second by a half-length, returning
$6.80 and $4.60 at nearly 9-1. Starbase (Tale of the Cat) was the second-longest
shot in the field at 26-1, holding off Incriminate (Unbridled’s Song) by 3 1/2
lengths to pay $6.40. The exotics gave back $26.80 (exacta), $225.40 (trifecta)
and $975.40 (2-1-7-4 superfecta). Officer Rocket (GB) (Officer) came next and
was followed by Passport (Pulpit) and Shore (Sea of Secrets).
Bred in Kentucky by Dale Kalmar, Tiz Wonderful brought $200,000 as a
Keeneland September yearling before being bought by his current owner for
$475,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Calder Selected Two-Year-Olds Sale. The
first registered foal out of the winning Evil (Hennessy), Tiz Wonderful has an
unnamed yearling half-brother by Proud Citizen and an unnamed weanling
half-sister by Exchange Rate.