Thousand Words, Tiz the Law, Max Player Winners On Road to Kentucky Derby

Do you have your Derby horse yet? It would be hard not to be enamoured with any one of three big winners on Feb. 1, colts that won Kentucky Derby stepping-stone races in New York, Florida and California. From $1 million purchase THOUSAND WORDS, to New York bred TIZ THE LAW and homebred MAX PLAYER, the Robert Lewis, Holy Bull and Withers Stakes winners all look very good in their first major Derby trail outings.

Holy Bull Stakes-Grade 3

Tiz the Law rolled to a three-length victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park, giving Sackatoga Stable’s Jack Knowlton and trainer Barclay Tagg a very serious prospect for a second Kentucky Derby (G1) victory.

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Knowlton and Tagg were in the winner’s circle with Funny Cide, like Tiz the Law a New York-bred, following the 2003 Kentucky Derby and 2003 Preakness Stakes (G1).

Tiz the Law (Constitution – Tizfiz by Tiznow) lived up to his 6-5 favoritism to add the Holy Bull to a resume that includes a debut victory, a Champagne Stakes (G1) score, and a troubled third-place on a sloppy track in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), in which he lacked running room in heavy traffic.

Tiz the Law broke alertly to take the lead into the first turn before Ete Indien and jockey Luca Panici made a sweeping move to the lead entering the backstretch. Ete Indien ran the first quarter of a mile in 23.31 seconds, pressed by Relentless Dancer and stalked by Clear Destination on the outside of Tiz the Law. Franco took a strong hold of Tiz the Law midway on the backstretch and managed to manoeuver off the rail to get clear running room. Ete Indien continued to show the way into the far turn past a half-mile in 46.60 seconds as Franco asked Tiz the Law for some run. The favourite responded with a three-wide move to engage Ete Indien and take the lead on the turn into the homestretch before drawing off to a popular victory.

“His race was perfect. We told [Franco], ‘Stay off the rail no matter what you have to do. Lose the ground and go around them,’” Tagg said. “It worked out perfectly.”

The son of Constitution, a New York-bred like Funny Cide, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.04 over a fast track.

“He ran like I expected him,” Franco said. “He got out of there and I was able to decide where I wanted to be. For a second, I had to make the turn and I was back on the rail, but when I saw those guys putting pressure on I was able to drop back and get outside where I wanted to be. After that, he jumped in the bit and I was travelling like I wanted.”

“I was a little bit [worried about the forecast for rain] You couldn’t tell if he didn’t have the kick [on a sloppy track] last time or whether they just kept him in and crowded so much that he couldn’t get away,” Tagg said. “I think it was more that than it was the track. You never know for sure, so why pray for rain.”

Gulfstream’s highly productive road to the Triple Crown continues Feb. 29 with the 74th running of the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) and March 28 with the 69th running of the $1 million Florida Derby (G1). However, Tiz the Law may not participate.

“We’ll try to stretch it out a little bit. They’re just young horses. We’ll probably go to Louisiana [for the March 21 Louisiana Derby (G2)] but I’m not sure,” Tagg said.

Robert B. Lewis (Grade 3)

THOUSAND WORDS, by Pioneerof the Nile, barged his way through to remain undefeated to win the ‘Lewis at Santa Anita – SANTA ANITA MEDIA PHOTO

“You can’t make this up.” That, according to Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, sums up his feelings in getting his 3,000th career win in today’s Grade III, $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. Named in honour of one of Baffert’s best all-time clients and an important prep to both the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies, today’s Lewis was taken in stylish fashion by favoured Thousand Words, who won by three quarters of a length while getting 1 1/16 miles under Flavien Prat in 1:43.64.

An attentive fourth at the rail, about three lengths off the lead as the field headed up the backside, Thousand Words continued to save ground to the top of the lane, when he split horses and eventually overhauled stablemate High Velocity a sixteenth of a mile out.

“He ran very well,” said Prat. “He put me in a good spot and he was comfortable down there. He took the dirt (in his face) well and when I asked him to run, he really accelerated.”

A winner of the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 7, Thousand Words, who was purchased for $1 million at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is now unbeaten in three starts and paid $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite in a field of six sophomores.

“Being stuck down on the inside, he got the worst of it,” said Baffert, who also collected his record eighth Lewis win. “Usually, a young horse like that, they won’t run that well and they don’t respond, but he’s got that big long stride and the further the better with him. You could tell about the last 50 yards, he was really getting going. He came back and he wasn’t even tired, so that is a good sign. He is progressing with every race and to win three in a row like that is pretty impressive.”

Regarding his 3,000th win, Baffert, who had six horses entered today, said “I had a feeling it was gonna happen in this race. I’ve had a lot of good people work for me through the years, the first 50 wins were probably the hardest–100 were life changers. I feel very blessed and fortunate that I’ve been able to last in this business and do so well after coming from the quarter horse business.”

Owned by Albaugh Family Stables, LLC and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Thousand Words, who is out of the Pomeroy mare Pomeroy’s Pistol, picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $211,000.

With the victory, Thousand Words receives 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will get 4, 2, and 1 point(s) each.

Trained by Peter Eurton, Royal Act, in his first start on dirt, ran a huge race to be second, out-finishing High Velocity by a neck. Off at 18-1 with Abel Cedillo, Royal Act paid $8.60 and $4.40.

High Velocity, who set fractions of 23.65, 47.20, 1:11.44 and 1:37.14, held Tizamagician at bay by three quarters of a length and returned $2.40 to show with Joel Rosario up.

Withers Stakes (Grade 3)

George Hall’s Max Player, trained by Linda Rice, posted an 86 Beyer Speed Figure in his Withers win at nine furlongs – NYRA PHOTO

George Hall’s Max Player lived up to his name and went all in during the final furlong, overtaking Monday Morning Qb and 9-5 favorite Shotski with a strong run from the outside to capture the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers for sophomores on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In his stakes debut – and just his third career start overall – the Honor Code – Fools In Love by Not for Love, colt earned 10 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with his 3 1/4-length score in the 1 1/8-mile route. The 140th edition of the Withers awarded 10-4-2-1 points to the top-four finishers towards qualifying for the “Run for the Roses” on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

The Linda Rice trainee stayed in sixth position under jockey Dylan Davis, as Grade 2 Remsen-winner Shotski led the eight-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.96 seconds and the half in 49.16 on the main track labelled fast.

Urged up near the final turn, Max Player had plenty in reserve for the final push, making a strong bid under Davis’ left-handed encouragement in the five-path, passing Monday Morning Qb to his inside before gaining the edge on Shotski and finishing strong, hitting the wire in 1:53.87.

Max Player ran second in his debut at one mile on November 12 at Parx and broke his maiden at the same distance over a sloppy and sealed Parx main track on December 17. In his 3-year-old bow, Max Player handled the stretch out in distance, earning Rice her 200th career stakes victory and first in the Withers.

“He’s becoming more professional all the time in his morning workouts. Anyone that watched his two races at Parx could see he ran pretty green,” Rice said. “He got pinched out a little bit into the first turn and Dylan did a nice job of getting him back into the race and into the clear. He had a bit of a wide trip, but it was a great ride by Dylan. He’s shown us in the morning that he’s had a lot of run at the end of his workouts.”

Rice said she will likely target the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct, where 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby points will be on the line for the 1 1/8-mile race.

“It’s exciting. I would think the Wood Memorial would be the right spot,” Rice said. “I don’t want to shorten him up to one-turn in the Gotham [March 7 at Aqueduct]. We’ll point towards the Wood and whether we do something in between, George and I will figure that out.”

Off at 5-1, Max Player returned $12.80 on a $2 win wager. Bred in Kentucky by K & G Stables, he improved his career bankroll to $173,500.

“It was a good thing I watched his replays coming into today. He doesn’t like too much kickback,” said Davis, who won three races on the card and tallied his third stakes of the winter meet. “He broke well for me today and right when the first kickback came to him into the first turn, he immediately got distracted. I got him back outside and he got on pace and started running well. Going into the second turn, he was travelling well and I had to get into him early because he started getting a little green. Once he got to the stretch, he was all business.”

Shotski, the field’s lone previous graded stakes-winner, edged a late-charging Protos by a half-length for second. Trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer, the son of Blame entered the day 10th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard and increased his total to 14, building on his Remsen victory that netted 10 points.

“He’s a fighter for sure,” O’Dwyer said. “Monday Morning Qb came to him but he fought back and wasn’t going to let him go by. Linda’s horse is obviously a nice horse and was a good bit away from him and didn’t get a chance to see him coming to him. He doesn’t know when to quit or lie down. I’m very proud of him.”

Portos, stepping up to stakes company for the first time in his fifth start, rallied from last to garner two points, earning blacktype for trainer Todd Pletcher.

“My horse was coming late but it was hard to make up ground today,” said Portos jockey Jose Lezcano.

Completing the order of finish was Monday Morning Qb, who earned one point, New Commission and Prince of Pharoahs. Mr. Shortandsimple and Vanzzy were eased at the finish.