Tiznow: dual winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic
September 30th 2011 05:16
Remembering the twice winning Breeders’ Cup Classic Champ - Tiznow
an article by Vicki L Vinson for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite.
words & photography by Vicki L Vinson
Tiznow parades in the paddock at Santa Anita after his 2001 BC win
With a pedigree including Northern Dancer as his great great grandsire on both sides of his bloodline Tiznow was destined to have a career that would go down in the history books of racing. He is a Cal Bred by Cee’s Tizzy out of the Seattle Song mare Cee’s Song. Tiznow did not break his maiden until the spring of his 3 year old season but he did not let that stigma of being a Cal Bred slow him down for long by the end of that same season he was the Breeder’s Cup Classic Champion in 2000.
Tiznow was a home bred for Cecilia Straub-Rubens who together with co-owner Michael Cooper gave the colt time to mature and did not rush him onto a Triple Crown trail even though his full brother Budroyale just missed winning the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic. At the same time they didn’t mess around moving him slowly up the ranks instead by June he was winning the Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park and would come back the next month to run 2nd in the Swaps Stakes there. Next trainer Jay Robbins would see how his big horse would fare against older horses by running him in the Pacific Classic where he finished 2nd to Skimming. Then Jay wanted to see how his horse would ship so he sent him to Louisiana to face 3 year olds in the Super Derby where Tiznow was a winner again. His final prep for the Breeders’ Cup would be the Goodwood Stakes at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita and finally I would get to see him in person.
Tiznow takes the lead in upper stretch to win the 2000 Goodwood
Even though Tiznow’s career kind of had a late start, by running a very forward moving campaign he earned enough graded points for a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. With his regular rider Chris McCarron up Tiznow faced some tough competition. There was the Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus who was sent off the favorite, the previous Classic winner Cat Thief and former Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid among others. But his biggest competition would come from the European invader Giant’s Causeway drawn just to the outside of him. Coming down the stretch it became a two horse race with Giant’s Causeway getting a slight lead mid-stretch, but Tiznow fought back and came on to win his first Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the 2000 Eclipse Awards voting Tiznow was named Champion Three Year Old as well as Horse of the Year.
Tiznow with Chris McCarron up going to the gate for the 2001 Strub Stakes
Tiznow did not get to rest on his laurels for long as he started his 4 year old campaign in January 2001 finishing 1st in the San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita. He would come back the following month to finish 2nd behind Wooden Phone in the Strub Stakes. The two would match up again in the Santa Anita Handicap the following month where Tiznow would take the first prize. After a fast start to the year Tiznow was given a short rest and did not race again until shipping back east to run in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park the site of the Breeders’ Cup for that year. In his first run back following his refresher Tiznow ran 3rd. The champ came back home to California to run in the Goodwood again as his final prep to defend his title in the Breeders’ Cup. Again he was a disappointing 3rd with many thinking perhaps there was more to his time off than a short vacation.
Tiznow in the paddock prior to winning the Santa Anita Handicap in 2001
Tiznow was packed up and shipped back to New York for the Breeders’ Cup and despite winning the race the year before he only opened as the third choice in the Classic betting pool. This time his top competition would come from the Jockey Gold Cup winner Aptitude as well as yet another European invader the 2001 Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee. Again it would come to a Cal Bred vs. Euro neck and neck fight down the stretch with Sakhee getting an early jump on Tiznow. Seeing a horse get an advantage in front of him only made Tiznow dig in harder and he prevailed for the win. A week later the champ was back home in California where much to the delight of his loyal fans he was paraded for several minutes around the walking ring between races on a fitting day known as Cal Cup Day! To this day Tiznow is the only two time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic he retired with a record of 8-4-2 from 15 starts and earnings of $6,427,830 and was named the Champion Older Horse for 2001. He was retired to stud at Winstar Farm in Kentucky where his legend goes on following the hoof beats of his sons and daughters. Tiznow was elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2009. He was the California Horse of the year in both 2000 and 2001.
Tiznow in the Santa Anita paddock 2001
an article by Vicki L Vinson for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite.
words & photography by Vicki L Vinson
Tiznow parades in the paddock at Santa Anita after his 2001 BC win
With a pedigree including Northern Dancer as his great great grandsire on both sides of his bloodline Tiznow was destined to have a career that would go down in the history books of racing. He is a Cal Bred by Cee’s Tizzy out of the Seattle Song mare Cee’s Song. Tiznow did not break his maiden until the spring of his 3 year old season but he did not let that stigma of being a Cal Bred slow him down for long by the end of that same season he was the Breeder’s Cup Classic Champion in 2000.
Tiznow was a home bred for Cecilia Straub-Rubens who together with co-owner Michael Cooper gave the colt time to mature and did not rush him onto a Triple Crown trail even though his full brother Budroyale just missed winning the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Classic. At the same time they didn’t mess around moving him slowly up the ranks instead by June he was winning the Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park and would come back the next month to run 2nd in the Swaps Stakes there. Next trainer Jay Robbins would see how his big horse would fare against older horses by running him in the Pacific Classic where he finished 2nd to Skimming. Then Jay wanted to see how his horse would ship so he sent him to Louisiana to face 3 year olds in the Super Derby where Tiznow was a winner again. His final prep for the Breeders’ Cup would be the Goodwood Stakes at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita and finally I would get to see him in person.
Tiznow takes the lead in upper stretch to win the 2000 Goodwood
Even though Tiznow’s career kind of had a late start, by running a very forward moving campaign he earned enough graded points for a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. With his regular rider Chris McCarron up Tiznow faced some tough competition. There was the Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus who was sent off the favorite, the previous Classic winner Cat Thief and former Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid among others. But his biggest competition would come from the European invader Giant’s Causeway drawn just to the outside of him. Coming down the stretch it became a two horse race with Giant’s Causeway getting a slight lead mid-stretch, but Tiznow fought back and came on to win his first Breeders’ Cup Classic. In the 2000 Eclipse Awards voting Tiznow was named Champion Three Year Old as well as Horse of the Year.
Tiznow with Chris McCarron up going to the gate for the 2001 Strub Stakes
Tiznow did not get to rest on his laurels for long as he started his 4 year old campaign in January 2001 finishing 1st in the San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita. He would come back the following month to finish 2nd behind Wooden Phone in the Strub Stakes. The two would match up again in the Santa Anita Handicap the following month where Tiznow would take the first prize. After a fast start to the year Tiznow was given a short rest and did not race again until shipping back east to run in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park the site of the Breeders’ Cup for that year. In his first run back following his refresher Tiznow ran 3rd. The champ came back home to California to run in the Goodwood again as his final prep to defend his title in the Breeders’ Cup. Again he was a disappointing 3rd with many thinking perhaps there was more to his time off than a short vacation.
Tiznow in the paddock prior to winning the Santa Anita Handicap in 2001
Tiznow was packed up and shipped back to New York for the Breeders’ Cup and despite winning the race the year before he only opened as the third choice in the Classic betting pool. This time his top competition would come from the Jockey Gold Cup winner Aptitude as well as yet another European invader the 2001 Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee. Again it would come to a Cal Bred vs. Euro neck and neck fight down the stretch with Sakhee getting an early jump on Tiznow. Seeing a horse get an advantage in front of him only made Tiznow dig in harder and he prevailed for the win. A week later the champ was back home in California where much to the delight of his loyal fans he was paraded for several minutes around the walking ring between races on a fitting day known as Cal Cup Day! To this day Tiznow is the only two time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic he retired with a record of 8-4-2 from 15 starts and earnings of $6,427,830 and was named the Champion Older Horse for 2001. He was retired to stud at Winstar Farm in Kentucky where his legend goes on following the hoof beats of his sons and daughters. Tiznow was elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2009. He was the California Horse of the year in both 2000 and 2001.
Tiznow in the Santa Anita paddock 2001
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