Bond pleased with Tizway

Trainer James Bond continues to be delighted with two-time Grade 1 star

TIZWAY (Tiznow), who Friday breezed five furlongs in a bullet 1:01 1/5 over

Saratoga's Oklahoma training track in advance of the October 1 Jockey Club Gold

Cup (G1).

"He's doing great right now," Bond said. "He had a good five-furlong workout

and galloped out strong. The current plan is to work him next Thursday or

Friday, weather permitting. In a perfect world he will have two more workouts

prior to the Gold Cup."

Bond, who trains the six-year-old for owner William Clifton, said that he

will ship to Belmont Park the day of the race, as Tizway, "likes to sleep in his

own backyard."

After going one-for-eight in graded stakes, taking last year's Kelso H. (G2)

at Belmont, Tizway has put together consecutive Grade 1 victories: a 2

3/4-length triumph in the Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont on May 30, and a

tour-de-force three-length score in the Whitney Invitational H. (G1) at Saratoga

on August 6.

Bond has repeatedly cited the fact that Tizway is finally healthy as a key

factor in his recent success, along with his ability to train him on the

Oklahoma track for most of the year.

"When he's healthy and you can train him hard like I can now, that's the

key," Bond said. "This horse is a really good training horse in general, but the

Oklahoma track is a bit easier on him. He fits here very well and I know what to

look for. After 25-plus years of training horses here, I also know what the

weather will do."

He also credited NYRA's track maintenance team for keeping the surface in

great condition.

"The track maintenance people up here do an incredible job," Bond said.

"There was so much rain last week, but the track was awesome on Friday. I have

total faith in the people taking care of the track."

With his victories in the Met Mile and Whitney, Tizway has vaulted onto the

list of Horse of the Year contenders. Bond, however, remains realistic about how

quickly things can change in racing.

"Winning Horse of the Year would be fantastic, but one thing about this game

is that you never know," Bond said. "It's a game of inches and any day can be

devastating. I just hope we make it that far. That's the bottom line. As long as

I can keep training him hard, I think he will show up and do his thing."

Although Tizway ran third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths in the 2009 Jockey Club Gold

Cup, his only career attempt going 1 1/4 miles, Bond is confident the distance

won't be a hindrance.

"The 2009 Jockey Club Gold Cup was against Summer Bird and Quality Road, two

very good horses," Bond said. "It poured before the race, and he was stuck down

on the fence with a lot of water. I'm sold on his ability to get the distance,

and someone will have to prove me wrong."