Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Tiztastic

Tiztastic

Colt by Tiz the Law – Keesha, by Tapit

Bred in Kentucky by Capital Bloodstock ($80,000 Keeneland January short yearling purchase by McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, agent; $335,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by M.V. Magnier and Ron Winchell)

Perennial leading sire Tapit has yet to sire a Kentucky Derby winner but is a clear stamina source as the most successful sire in the modern history of the Belmont Stakes, with four winners of the classic in Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), Tapwrit (2017), and Essential Quality (2021). Lexington, America’s leading sire 16 times in the Civil War and Reconstruction era, is the only other stallion with four winners.

Tapit’s stamp is all over this upcoming Kentucky Derby. In addition to being the sire of Arkansas Derby winner Sandman, he is the broodmare sire of Virginia Derby winner American Promise and Jeff Ruby winner Final Gambit. And then there’s Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic, who has a double dose of the sire from both his paternal great-grandsire and his maternal grandsire.

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Constitution, by Tapit, was a multiple Grade 1 winner of the Florida Derby and Donn, and has gone on to be one of Tapit’s most consistent sons at stud. Tiz the Law emerged from his first crop to win the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at 2. He continued to develop the following year, with four graded stakes wins.

Tiz the Law won the 2020 Belmont Stakes, although it was at 1 1/8 miles and around one turn in the pandemic-shuffled Triple Crown. He later showed his classic-distance mettle by winning the Travers Stakes and finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, both at 1 1/4 miles. Tiztastic is one of three graded stakes winners from his first crop. The other two, Non Compliant and Scythian, both won beyond a mile.

Tapit’s unraced daughter Keesha is the dam of four winners from as many starters, including Grade 2 winner Tiztastic and stakes winner Interpolate. She is continuing to further Tapit’s reputation as a broodmare sire. The 84 stakes winners to date out of his daughters include two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner and Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, Belmont Stakes winner and champion Arcangelo, and Kentucky Oaks winner and champion Pretty Mischievous.

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