Churchill Downs: Gomez sweeps day's stakes

Garrett Gomez started off his Breeders' Cup week at Churchill Downs the right way Sunday by riding both winners in the twin Grade 3 stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday, opening day of the 21-day fall meet.

Both of the Gomez winners were favored. Tiz Wonderful was an emphatic winner of the Iroquois Stakes about an hour before Change Up wore down front-running Mistical Plan to capture the $114,300 Pocahontas Stakes.

The pair of one-mile stakes highlighted the first of two "Stars of Tomorrow" programs - with all races for 2-year-olds - this fall at Churchill.

Change Up, a Distorted Humor filly who eliminated herself from consideration for the BC Juvenile Fillies when she was well beaten in the Arlington-Washington Lassie, partly redeemed herself by winning for the third time in five career starts. In far more relaxed fashion than in that previous outing, she tracked the early pace before going on to a two-length triumph, finishing in 1:35.97 over a fast track. She returned $6.60 to win.

"Every time I thought my filly was going to quit, she dug in and gave me more," said Gomez of Change Up's Pocahontas effort.

Mistical Plan finished second, another neck before late-closing Lady Joanne in a field of nine 2-year-old fillies. Steve Flint is the trainer of Change Up, a homebred filly owned by Bert, Elaine, and Richard Klein of Louisville.

In the $110,900 Iroquois, Tiz Wonderful burst clear from a well-bunched field for a 6 3/4-length victory, even after racing a bit rankly through the opening stages. Owned by the Stonestreet Stable of Jess Jackson and trained by Scott Blasi, Tiz Wonderful returned $3.80 after finishing in 1:35.92.

It was the second victory in as many starts for Tiz Wonderful, a ridgling by Tiznow, with his first race, a Saratoga maiden sprint, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

"He's a very talented colt with a bright future, and hopefully everything will fall into place," said Blasi.

What a Tale rallied late to finished second, a half-length ahead of Starbase in a field of seven. The rest of the field in finish order was Incriminate, Officer Rocket, Passport, and Shore.

Ron Anderson, Gomez's agent, said the jockey planned to ride at Churchill through Saturday, Breeders' Cup Day, before returning to Southern California for the winter.

A second Stars of Tomorrow card will be run at Churchill on closing day, Nov. 25.