Tiz Midnight, Warren's Veneda rematched in Paseana
ARCADIA, Calif. – A thrilling stretch run between Tiz Midnight and Warren’s Veneda in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6 ended with Tiz Midnight a head in front and the temporary holder of the track record over 1 1/16 miles.
Tiz Midnight’s time of 1:41.62 was the benchmark for the distance until Dortmund ran 1:40.86 in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity two weeks later. Tiz Midnight’s growing reputation in California’s older female division is more secure.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Tiz Midnight. Trainer Bob Baffert is 21-10-3-2 with a $1.81 ROI over the past five years in dirt route non-graded stakes following a win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
On Sunday, she starts in the $75,000 Paseana Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita, once again meeting a capable rival in Warren’s Veneda. The Paseana is a prep for the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 14.
:: DRF Live: Get real-time updates and insights from DRF reporters and handicappers on Sunday
Paseana Stakes, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Tiz Midnight (Last 3 Beyers: 93-87-98)
In nine starts, Tiz Midnight has been worse than third once, finishing sixth behind Untapable in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff here on Oct. 31.
“She came up short,” trainer Bob Baffert said.
The Bayakoa was the first stakes win for Tiz Midnight, who was second to the two-time champion Beholder in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes here in September.
Baffert said the key for a good race from Tiz Midnight is to keep the mare calm before the race.
“Her biggest obstacle is her mental approach,” Baffert said. “She gets wound up in the paddock. She’s a high-strung mare. I don’t know why she gets all worked up.”
Tiz Midnight has won 4 of 9 starts and earned $334,720.
Warren’s Veneda (Last 3 Beyers: 93-86-81)
Trainer Craig Lewis was philosophical about Warren’s Veneda’s loss in the Bayakoa, saying a day after the race that she ran quick enough to set the track record at that time but was still beaten.
In November, Warren’s Veneda ran another winning race, closing from eighth in a field of nine to finish third by a half-length in the Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Del Mar.
“The last two races she’s run could have gone her way and didn’t,” Lewis said Friday. “She’s been a nice filly.”
Warren’s Veneda is likely to race from off the pace, but she is not limited to that style, Lewis said.
“She’s handier than she appears,” Lewis said. “Her best race is when she can make a run.”
Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 85-66-82)
Legacy won the minor Cypress Stakes at Los Alamitos in July but is winless in her last four starts. She was third behind Tiz Midnight and Warren’s Veneda in the Bayakoa after racing in traffic early.
My Sweet Addiction (Last 3 Beyers: 87-79-73)
The Paseana will be the longest race for My Sweet Addiction, a 5-year-old mare by Tiznow who is out of Healthy Addiction, the winner of the 2006 Paseana and six other stakes in a 23-race career. My Sweet Addiction was second in an optional claimer over seven furlongs here in October. Sam’s Sister, the winner of that race, later won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in December.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Eblouissante. Trainer John Shirreffs is 21-6-0-2 with a $5.37 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan