Tiz a Slam scores one for the boys in Ontario Derby

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Tiz a Slam turned the tables on Queen’s Plate winner Holy Helena on Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby, winning the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds decisively at 9-1.

Tiz a Slam raced wide in a stalking position until the head of the stretch, where he opened up a clear lead en route to a 3 1/4-length score in 1:51.57.

After a four-wide trip, the filly Holy Helena edged out Guy Caballero for second. Senior Investment finished fourth and was followed by Undulated, Gorgeous Kitten, Grizzel, Colonel Samsen, and Cool Catomine.

“I went to the gate, and I knew in my heart he was going to run his best race today,” said winning rider Eurico Da Silva. “It took a long time for me to relax him. He took off at the quarter pole.”

Tiz a Slam ($20) had finished second to Holy Helena in the July 2 Queen’s Plate but had missed the board in two subsequent outings for trainer Roger Attfield.

“I really thought he could win the Plate, and he got beat,” Attfield said. “We went to the Prince of Wales, and he really doesn’t like the dirt. He’d just been training so well that there was no way a horse like him shouldn’t be able to win a race like this. It was so nice to see.”

A handsome son of Tiznow, Tiz a Slam banked $90,000 of the $147,900 purse for Chiefswood Stable.