Heywoods Beach notches first stakes win with Cougar II

DEL MAR, Calif. - The benefit of a recent start helped Heywoods Beach win the first stakes of his career in Sunday’s Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes for main track marathoners at Del Mar.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Heywoods Beach ($8.20) stalked 4-5 favorite Tizamagician for the first 1 1/4 miles, took the lead in early stretch and finished a length in front of that rival. Extra Hope (6-1) finished third, followed by Order and Law, Dicey Mo Chara and Dean Martini.

Heywoods Beach ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:30.09 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

Heywoods Beach, third behind Tizamagician in the 2021 Cougar II Stakes, was fourth of six in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf in his lone start this year at Santa Anita on May 30. Tizamagician had his first start of the year in the $125,500 Cougar II Stakes. He had not raced since a game second in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at 1 5/8 miles here last November.

On Sunday, Tizamagician set a fairly solid pace for the distance of 24.98 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.12 for a half-mile, closely followed by Heywoods Beach to his outside.

“I wanted to keep the horse in second or third,” Vazquez said. “I had a lot of horse. I was waiting.”

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Vazquez urged Heywoods Beach to the front in the stretch. Tizamagician, ridden by Juan Hernandez, finished a neck in front of Extra Hope. Tizamagician and Extra Hope are trained by Richard Mandella.

Hernandez said he was comfortable for the first mile with Tizamagician, but did not get the expected response with a half-mile remaining.

“He was trying really hard,” Hernandez said. “I thought he ran a big race. I tried to open up to get clear of the others, but he didn’t pick it up.”

Heywoods Beach, a 5-year-old horse by Speightstown, races for Hronis Racing and John Sadler. Heywoods Beach, purchased for $190,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of horses of racing age in 2019, has won 4 of 18 starts and earned $289,541.

Heywoods Beach was Sadler’s fourth career win in the Cougar II Stakes, all since 2008.