Tizcano looks poised to run big
DEL MAR, Calif. – It wouldn’t take much improvement to get Tizcano to the winner’s circle following a strong comeback effort July 29, and trainer Peter Miller expects him to move forward when he heads the field in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf Thursday at Del Mar.
Tizcano was off for more than five months before returning to finish second in a similar optional claimer earlier in the meet. He was beaten three-quarters of a length while finishing 2 1/4 lengths in front of the rest of the field, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
“I was really happy with his race,” Miller said. “He should run well with that race under his belt.”
There are nine entered in Thursday’s race, and it’s a strong bunch for the level. Tizcano’s rivals include Del Mar specialist Boozer, old warrior No Silent, and Mr. Sexy, who scored a 53-1 upset here last summer when returning from a lengthy layoff, as he does Thursday.
KEY CONTENDERS
Tizcano (Last 3 Beyers: 90-70-23)
◗ His last race was his first since being gelded, so the career-best Beyer is significant. He just may be a far better horse now than he was in the spring.
Boozer (Last 3 Beyers: 89-92-93)
◗ Though he has not run since March, and this distance may be short of optimum for him, he is a formidable presence whenever he runs, especially at Del Mar, where he has won twice in three starts and never finished out of the money.
◗ He is a multiple winner on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, the only other place where turf sprinters can compete on this circuit.
No Silent (Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-86)
◗ He is one of only two horses in the race eligible to be claimed for $62,500.
◗ This will be his third start following a nine-month layoff, and he comes off a victory over this course and distance against $50,000 claimers Aug. 5.
“I think he needed his first start back,” trainer Gary Mandella said Tuesday morning at Del Mar. “The biggest thing I saw after he won last time was he got his confidence back. He’s trained aggressively, like his old self.”
Mr. Sexy (Last 3 Beyers: 81-64-89)
◗ He has not raced since December, but he came off a layoff of nearly a year last summer with the best performance of his life, a 3 3/4-length victory over this course while earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
Turnover (Last 3 Beyers: 86-91-84)
◗ This will be his first time on turf, but he is bred to like it, being by Big Brown out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare.