Usha First G1 Winner for Tiz The Law

Usha (3f Tiz the Law x Animal Appeal, by Leroidesanimaux) became Tiz the Law’s first Gr.1 winner on Sunday with a runaway victory in the Gr.1 La Brea S. at Santa Anita.

The Bob Baffert trainee was happy to race in midpack early in the seven-furlong dirt race while her stabemate set a pressured pace. As they swung past the quarter pole, she split horses and started making her run. It didn’t take long for her to build a sizable lead with the filly romping to a 5 ¼ length win with Practical Joke’s Simply Joking finishing third just a neck behind the runner-up.

Racing for Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Usha has won three of her four starts this year and was securing her first stakes victory. She was a $600,000 2-year-old purchase for her owners from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds In Training last year from On Point Training and Sales.

“Usha showed up today,” Baffert said. “I shipped her to Kentucky for her last race and she lost it in the paddock. She came back here and that worked well. Juan knows her really well, I didn't have to say anything to him. We expected this when I shipped her to Kentucky, and didn't win a race, but today she showed up.”

Bred in New York by Ester and Raine, Usha is one of three winners from three to race out of the stakes placed Animal Appeal. That mare is one of six winners from seven to race out of her own dam, with the other winners including 10-time winner Wildcat Appeal and five-time winners Outta My Mind and Successful Secrets.

Usha is the eighth stakes winner on her page and one of 16 stakes performers as well.

Tiz The Law is the sire of seven graded stakes winners, 12 stakes winners, and 24 stakes performers from his first two crops with his 14 graded stakes performers the best of any second crop sire. His three Gr.1 performers also puts him second among his generation.