Slew's Tiz Whiz gets season started in Budweiser Stakes
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Defending Longacres Mile winner Slew’s Tiz Whiz will face a full and competitive field when beginning his 2023 campaign in Sunday’s $50,000 Budweiser Stakes at six furlongs at Emerald Downs.
One year ago, Slew’s Tiz Whiz was a 38-1 outcast in the Budweiser when checking in fourth before reeling off three straight successes, capped by the $150,000 Longacres Mile in August.
This year, Slew’s Tiz Whiz has been working in eye-catching fashion for trainer Tom Wenzel, with his most recent move a dazzling six-furlong work from the gate in 1:09.80 over a strip that has been particularly lively in recent mornings.
Among those slated to face Slew’s Tiz Whiz on Sunday are Zestful, a winner of nearly $700,000; Bridleuptothebar, a winner at six furlongs in 1:07.57 on April 3 at Turf Paradise; A Man’s Man, winner in six of his last eight starts; and Itsallabouttheride, a stakes winner in the Emerald sophomore ranks last season.
Zestful seems a interesting addition to the local stakes ranks as he has won multiple races on turf, dirt, and synthetic surfaces. The son of Ghostzapper has been off for nearly three months since fading as the favorite over 1 3/8 miles on turf in the Wildcat Stakes at Turf Paradise.
Bridleuptothebar trained at Emerald Downs for much of the 2022 season but never got to race over the strip until late last month, when he found some traffic and got caught behind a modest early pace that favored those in front of him. Prior to that start, the son of Fullbridled was a winner under allowance conditions at Turf Paradise, covering six furlongs in 1:07.57 and earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
Itsallabouttheride has raced only once this year, securing a narrow of victory over six furlongs in the slop two weeks ago while earning a modest 68 Beyer Speed Figure. A 4-year-old, Itsallabouttheride has plenty of improvement potential and may become a significant part of the older stakes division later this year.
Co-featured Sunday will be the six-furlong Hastings Stakes for fillies and mares in which the pair who were second and third in the same race a year ago will resume their rivalry. Daffodil Sweet was the runner-up that day, and she has not raced since that June 26, 2022, start. Blazingbellablu won her next race three months later and hasn’t won in four starts since.
The Hastings drew a field of eight, with many connections eager to learn just how their prospects stack up against the local stakes division. Among them are Slack Tide, fourth in a blanket finish in her seasonal bow as the favorite; Zazen, who came to hand quite nicely at Golden Gate over the winter; and Silvery Orb, a 4-year-old trained by Wenzel who is 2 for 2 in her brief and promising career.
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