Tizaplayer primed for peak effort

Tizaplayer appears to be primed for a big effort in a $15,000 claiming race at Emerald Downs on Saturday. If he is, he will be tough to handle in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint that drew six horses and goes as race 9 on a 10-race card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

Tizaplayer will be making his second start off a layoff and his first since being claimed for the same price by trainer Candi Tollett on Aug. 29, when he finished fourth. The 5-year-old Tizaplayer usually needs more time between starts. However, Tollett brought him back to work a sharp five furlongs in 59 seconds last Sunday, and it is encouraging to see him return to the races this quickly.

Tizaplayer is looking for his first win this year. In 2014, he won three non-claiming races for trainer Blaine Wright, twice on Tapeta at Golden Gate, Fields and once on dirt at Sacramento. In all three of his wins, he set quick fractions and won by daylight.

With a race behind him and a sharp interim work, Tizaplayer could be touch to catch if he breaks sharply from post 3 with leading rider Julien Couton retaining the mount.

There is plenty of other speed in the field, and it could set up nicely for My Chief. Trained by Howard Belvoir, My Chief came from well back to be the runner-up in the same race Tizaplayer exits. In his next start, he forced a moderate pace before finishing third in a one-mile, $15,000 claiming race last Saturday.

He does have speed, but given the shape of the race, it is easy to assume that jockey Javier Matias will try to ease My Chief into a stalking position after he breaks from post 2.

Race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

Tizaplayer (Last 3 Beyers: 52-71-75)

The speed of the speed, he got bumped around while leaving the starting gate in his last race. He’s won both of his starts at 5 1/2 furlongs and figures to move forward in his second start following a layoff.

My Chief (Last 3 Beyers: 68-58-68)

He won’t mind the move back to a sprint and could be dangerous if he can handle coming back this quickly.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years at Emerald Downs, Belvoir has a 15 percent strike rate with horses coming back in a week or less.

Calculated Chaos (Last 3 Beyers: 51-77-68)

Trained by Jeff Metz, he just missed at this level two back and will appreciate getting off the rail after going unplaced in the same race Tizaplayer exits.