Tiz a Macho Girl back with easier in Washington Legislators Stakes
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Last year’s winner of the Washington Oaks, Tiz a Macho Girl, returns to Emerald Downs to face six others in the co-featured Washington Legislators Stakes for fillies and mares on Sunday.
Trained by Jeff Metz, Tiz a Macho Girl first tried the local stakes ranks as a maiden last year before winning a maiden event and then leaping into the deep end of the pool in the Washington Oaks. As fate would have it, Tiz a Macho Girl won the Oaks as an outsider paying $45 on the nose.
In recent months Tiz a Macho Girl has been trying her luck at Santa Anita to some avail. In her most recent start on June 10, the daughter of Mucho Macho Man finished last, beaten 39 1/4 lengths, after breaking in the air in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes.
Metz reports that his filly “got a few rubs and scrapes from the van ride” to Emerald Downs from Santa Anita and that “she also spiked a fever upon arrival.” He added, “She is training well now and had a very nice work under Rocco Bowen last week.”
Blazingbellablu and Slack Tide, the one-two finishers in the recent Hastings Stakes at Emerald Downs head the opposition. Blazingbellablu finished in front of Tiz a Macho Girl in the Glendale Stakes at Turf Paradise last November, although that race was contested on turf.
Governor’s Stakes
Sharing top billing with the Washington Legislators Stakes is the 6 1/2-furlong Governor’s Stakes, traditionally a final prep for the Longacres Mile. The Governor’s drew a deeply competitive field of 10, led by recent Budweiser Stakes winner Bridleuptothebar and defending Longacres Mile champion Slew’s Tiz Whiz.
In the Budweiser Stakes, Bridleuptothebar set a torrid pace while under pressure and held off all challengers to win by a length in a lively 1:07.57 for six furlongs. Slew’s Tiz Whiz, making his first start of the year, dropped back and got comfortable before mounting a wide rally that fell short, finishing second.
Some of the others who will contest the Governor’s Stakes are Zestful, trained by Justin Evans; Itsallabouttheride, trained by Bonnie Jenne; and Coastal Kid, another trained by Metz.
Metz said Coastal Kid “is quite the character and he can run short or long. He doesn’t like to be crowded in a race, he likes when he gets a clear run.”
In the Budweiser Stakes, Zestful was sprinting for just the second time in 4 1/2 years. The previous time he raced a distance as short as the six furlongs of the Governor’s Stakes had been in his career debut back in 2017. Perhaps he should be forgiven for his fourth-place finish in the Budweiser.
Sunday’s card features a number of challenging contests for handicappers, with the first race scheduled for 2 p.m. Pacific and temperatures anticipated to be in the mid-70s.
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