Sirenusa holds sway in Ta Wee Stakes

Sometime earlier this week jockey Adam Beschizza realized it was time to end his trip home to England and head back to the U.S. to resume his riding career.

Sometime around the half-mile pole Thursday in the $100,000 Ta Wee Stakes at Indiana Grand – his first ride since flying back overseas – Beschizza realized it was time to leave the cozy pocket spot he’d taken up before the first turn with Sirenusa.

With a couple of longshots in front of him starting to waver even after a slow half-mile split and a couple more serious players threatening to get the jump with wide early moves, Beschizza stepped on the gas and Sirenusa leapt into the bridle.

Making the lead before the three-furlong pole, earlier than ideal, Sirenusa still comfortably sustained her run and won the Ta Wee by 1 1/2 lengths. Deadline surged late to nip Monte Crista for second. Co-favored Monte Crista had a tough trip racing from last behind the pokey pace and coming very wide around the far turn with her run.

Sirenusa, trained by Joe Sharp – the prime mover in the success Beschizza has found since moving his tack to Fair Grounds last fall – for Joni and Barry Butzow, ran a mile on firm turf in 1:36.99 and paid $6 to win.

By Tiznow out of Spun Silver, by Grand Slam, Sirenusa won turf sprints at Fair Grounds and Keeneland to start her career then captured the Northbound Pride Oaks at Canterbury Park over mile before finishing a good second there facing older horses in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes.

“There’s a little bit of class there. She’s developed and built on every single run,” Beschizza said.

Sirenusa breaks well “and gets herself into a nice position,” said Beschizza, and she did exactly that Thursday, settling in behind Pearl’s Opinion and Roussalka through a quarter-mile in 24.37 seconds. The pace slowed to a crawl down the backstretch, the half-mile going in 49.28, and it was there Beschizza, with help from a very live mount, extricated himself from potential trouble.

Now a two-time ungraded stakes winner, Sirenusa has shown enough that she might be able to take down the right graded turf stakes.

Beschizza showed that after a short summer vacation he is ready to get back to business here.