Tiz Shea D prevails over sloppy track in Indiana Derby

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. – First, Tiz Shea D dodged Mr. Z, and then he beat him by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2, $500,000 Indiana Derby on a hot, muggy, wet night at Indiana Grand, just southeast of Indianapolis.

Mr. Z made all the running under Joe Bravo and appeared to have plenty left approaching the quarter pole, but as he has done in several previous races, he ducked sharply to the outside, costing himself precious momentum and allowing Tiz Shea D to gain the upper hand.

Jockey Jose Lezcano said Tiz Shea D shied a bit from the out-of-control Mr. Z, but he was quickly back on course. He fought off a renewed challenged from Mr. Z before the furlong grounds and drew away late while scoring easily the biggest victory of his career.

Divining Rod tried to rally up the inside – clearly the worst part of the racetrack Saturday – plugged along gamely, and finished third, beaten just a head by Mr. Z. The top three were much the best, Bold Conquest coming fourth, more than three lengths behind Divining Rod.

Tiz Shea D won for just the second time in six starts, paying $10.80. He was timed in 1:42.51 over a sloppy track that started the night fast but was hit with heavy rain just after the first race. Trained by Bill Mott for Brous Stable, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable, Tiz Shea D was privately purchased after winning his February debut, going on to finish second in the Gotham, fifth in the Wood, and fourth in the Peter Pan before coming home second in a June 6 allowance race on the Belmont Stakes undercard. The son of Tiznow, out of Ender’s Sister, had earned about $164,000 coming into Saturday’s race and picked up a first-place check of $295,656. Mott, winning his first Indiana Derby, deftly spotted his colt.

Lezcano broke Tiz Shea D fourth and briefly disputed the early pace with Mr. Z, but Lezcano said he was content to let Mr. Z take the field along and wait to make his move later. While Tiz Shea D sat second, a about a length behind the leader, Mr. Z set comfortable fractions of 24.21 seconds, 48.31, and 1:11.64 and was well in hand around the far turn. Before the quarter pole, still on a clear lead, he went onto one rein, and the next moment, Tiz Shea D not yet abreast, he ducked out several paths before Bravo brought him to heel.

“He was going so easy, just playing around out there, and when they came to him, ‘Boom!’ ” Bravo told trainer Wayne Lukas.

Mr. Z ran straight winning the Ohio Derby last month, but he has a habit of getting out that dates back to last season and was not done yet Saturday night, jinking again right at the finish. By then, Tiz Shea D had gone on to victory, if not clearly the better horse on the night, very much the better behaved.

Admission to Indiana Grand and its accompanying casino is free, so attendance figures aren’t available, but there was a good crowd on the cozy apron Saturday night. All sources handle on the 10-race card was $1.77 million, up about $170,000 from last year.