Illman's preview: Tizquick a maiden with big shot in stakes

TWO FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS

Sunday's card features a pair of $150,000 stakes for statebred juvenile sprinters.

The Bertram F. Bongard for males goes as the second race, and I'm really looking forward to betting TIZQUICK. Although a maiden facing winners, Tizquick made a strong impression in his career debut at Saratoga on Aug. 15. He was bet down to 17-10 and cruised up to take the lead from the three path while under a confident ride. He ran on well in the stretch, but was no match for Upstart, a very promising colt who returned to capture the Funny Cide Stakes with a 95 Beyer.

By win-early sire Tiz Wonderful out of the fleet All for Fashion (a stakes-winning dirt sprinter at Zia Park with a 99 Beyer), Tizquick made a nice appearance on the racetrack, and shouldn't be too far off the early pace. He's a solid play at close to his 5-1 morning line.

BULLHEADED BOY, a Pletcher-Velazquez production, is the early favorite at 9-5, but I must admit that I'm not too frightened of him. He's earned competitive Beyers in both starts, but was absolutely no match for Upstart in the Funny Cide.

SARATOGA HEATER boasts the field's best Beyer Speed Figure, a 79 earned when rallying to win his maiden on Aug. 31. That race was contested over a sealed, sloppy track, however, and he received a dream setup closing into an extremely fast pace.

In the fourth race, the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes for fillies, I'm hoping that MY SUPER NOVA can turn the tables on TEMPER MINT PATTY. The two squared off in a maiden event at the Spa on Aug. 29, and My Super Nova did all of the racing on the front end. After pressing a quick pace and grabbing the lead turning for home, she was overtaken in the final sixteenth by Temper Mint Patty.

This time, My Super Nova draws outside some other speed and might end up tracking the pace while in the clear. She should once again get the jump on Temper Mint Patty, and she is the selection at near her 7-2 morning line.

HARD TO STAY NOTGO adds Lasix for the dangerous Jimmy Jerkens barn after chasing MYFOURCHIX in vain in the Seeking the Ante Stakes on Aug. 24. I think Hard to Stay Notgo is the better of the two.

FREUDIE ANNE prompted quick splits to win her career debut, but that race came on the grass. The bargain yearling worked a bullet five furlongs on dirt at Churchill Downs leading up to her first start and is worth using on the bottom of exotic wagers.

BROWN FIRST-TIMER LOOKS LIVE

The seventh race, a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, doesn't boast much in the way of form. Only one of the five runners with prior experience have managed to hit the board, and that one, ARCTIC OCEAN, did so in a $50,000 maiden claimer over muddy going. SUMMER HOUSE and TIZTHEFASTLAINE are well-bred first-time starters, but Bill Mott (trainer of Summer House) and Tom Albertrani (Tizthefastlaine) aren't known for debut success.

Instead, I'll try BACK STOP, a firster who cost $210,000 as a yearling and will go out for the always-tough Chad Brown barn. Although the dam was a stakes winner going long at Monmouth (94 Beyer), she did win sprinting as a 2-year-old, and has also produced 11-time sprint winner Noah's Dream.

I don't believe that Back Stop needs to be a superstar to win here. She's worth a shot at her 4-1 morning line.

CO didn't have an easy trip in her debut on turf and could well be the horse to beat switching surfaces for Shug McGaughey and Joel Rosario. Her second dam is the great dirt champion Serena's Song.

Chickaletta, a second-time starter by Harlan's Holiday, deserves another chance after catching mud in her debut.

HORSES TO WATCH

NORTH SLOPE

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Last race: Sept. 19, 8th
Finish: 1st by 1 1/2
Beyer: 91

McLaughlin put the blinkers back on this 4-year-old, and he responded with a solid off-the-pace victory on turf against N2X optional claimers. I'm not sure if he's a stakes horse at this point of his career, but he is worth following against N3X foes, or mid- to upper-level sellers on turf.