Tiz My Valentine has touch of class
Tiz My Valentine has just one win in 12 starts, but in one important way, he’s a standout in the featured seventh race Friday at Tampa Bay Downs, a first-level $23,000 allowance scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on grass. Tiz My Valentine is the only horse in the field of 10 3-year-olds and up to have placed in a stakes race, having run third in both the Grade 3 Kent and the $50,125 Stanton at Delaware Park over the summer.
Tiz My Valentine was 35-1 when he finished third of seven in the Kent Stakes on turf in July, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by winner Syntax, an earner of $249,057. In June, he was a distant third behind the heavily favored winner Donworth in the Stanton, which was rained off the turf and onto the main track.
Trained by Baltazar Galvan, Tiz My Valentine has been rested since finishing fourth in an off-the-turf allowance Oct. 3 at Delaware. In his most recent turf race, on Sept. 21, the 3-year-old son of Tizdejavu led in midstretch of a rich allowance at Parx Racing before finishing fifth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
Tiz My Valentine will have Brian Pedroza aboard for the first time when he breaks from post 7.
His biggest challenge could come from Creaky Cricket, a three-time winner in 17 career starts who is trained by Mike Dini.
A 3-year-old son of Yesbyjimminy, Creaky Cricket has finished off the board in three consecutive starts, but prior to that he faced older rivals in a $40,000 claimer on Monmouth Park’s turf course in July and led all the way, scoring by 6 1/4 lengths. That race covered the same distance as Friday’s race, and Creaky Cricket earned an 85 Beyer Speed Figure that tops this field.
KEY CONTENDERS
Tiz My Valentine (Last 3 Beyers: 62-79-67)
◗ Though he’s winless in eight turf starts, he earned a career-best 81 Beyer for a close fourth-place finish on this turf course in May. He and Creaky Cricket are the only horses in the field to reach the 80 Beyer mark. He also got an 80 in the Kent.
◗ Trainer Galvan shows a profitable $2.28 return on investment on turf in the last five years.
Creaky Cricket (Last 3 Beyers: 68-72-65)
◗ Owns a win and a second in four starts on the Tampa grass course.
Sweet Soul Music (Last 3 Beyers: 75-75-62)
◗ Throw out his most recent race, where he encountered traffic trouble for the length of the stretch before finishing eighth. Two starts back on the Laurel Park turf, he stalked and pounced to win his maiden at 13-1.
◗ Jockey Antonio Gallardo wins at a 25 percent clip at Tampa for Sweet Soul Music’s trainer, Kathleen O’Connell.
One Summer Nite (Last 3 Beyers: 71-69-65)
◗ Stretches out after winning his maiden at five furlongs Oct. 29 on grass at Gulfstream Park West. Trainer Chad Stewart shows an impressive $4.89 ROI with horses who won their most recent start.