Tiz The Law Colt Kentucky Derby Bound
Tiztastic (3c Tiz The Law x Keesha, by Tapit) put himself firmly on the Kentucky Derby trail Saturday with a 2¼ length Grade II Louisiana Derby victory.
Already a stakes winner on the turf last year and multiple graded stakes placed in Kentucky Derby prep races, this was his first start at Fair Grounds after wintering at Oaklawn Park. Trainer Steve Asmussen was happy to run him in this 1 3/16-mile start, where Tiztastic raced nearly 10 lengths off the leader for the first half of the race.
Second to last for much of the early running, he advanced his position around the far turn before swinging wide for the stretch run. That gave him the clear room he needed to catch the leader approaching the final furlong and race on from there.
Tiztastic won by 2 ¼ lengths for Winchell Thoroughbreds and the Coolmore partners to take his record to three wins and three other top three finishes for $1,549,800 in earnings.
“Joel gave him the perfect trip on the day and the horse rose to the occasion,” Asmussen said. “He's getting better and great to see him run such a good race when it mattered so much. The horse has got a great mind about him. I love how he acted pre-race. He ran a solid race, but I think there's more in him.”
A $335,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase by his racing owners, Tiztastic was bred by Capital Bloodstock out of Tapit mare Keesha. That mare is also the dam of the stakes winner and Grade II placed Interpolate among her four winners from four to race.
Keesha is a half-sister to Grade III winner and Grade II placed Shumoos and stakes winner and Grade III-placed Steady On with the trio out of a daughter of dual Grade I winner Strategic Maneuver. That mare also produced two stakes winners and multiple stakes producers.
Keesha has a Tiz The Law 2-year-old colt named Prize Pick who sold for $330,000 as a yearling last year as well.
With his Louisiana Derby victory, Tiztastic leads all 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 119 points – one of only two horses to break the 100 point barrier so far.