Tizzelle may have edge in Mount Vernon Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Monday’s $125,000 Mount Vernon Stakes for females on turf lacks an apparent speed horse. That could give Tizzelle a tactical advantage over Fifty Five and seven others in the one-mile stakes restricted to New York-breds at Belmont Park.

Tizzelle, trained by Jim Bond, finished fourth, 2 1/4 lengths behind Fifty Five, in the Ticonderoga Stakes here last October. Since then, Tizzelle has won two allowance races at Aqueduct. She comes in off a solid 3 1/2-length victory against open company April 14.

Tizzelle is a daughter of Tizway, and Bond noted that his progeny tends to get better with age and racing experience.

“She had a good winter. She ran very well in her first start, I thought,” Bond said. “Hopefully, we gave her enough time between races to run that good race again. Hopefully, she’s good enough.”

In her last two wins, Tizzelle has stalked modest paces.

“She’s very versatile. She’s a push-button-type filly; she’ll do what you need her to do,” Bond said. “She’s a racehorse – that’s the bottom line. She likes to win.”

Joe Bravo will ride Tizzelle in the Mount Vernon, which goes as race 3. Immediately after race 2, Bravo will be presented with the Mike Venezia Award, exemplifying extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.

Fifty Five won the Ticonderoga for New York-breds last year and came back with a second-place finish behind Uni in the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct on April 14.

“She probably wants to run a little farther than this,” Brown said, referring to the one-mile distance. “Physically, she looks tremendous.”

Feeling Bossy returns from a lengthy layoff. Jc’s Shooting Star stretches out after running fourth in a turf sprint here in April. Epping Forest and Table for Six are other contenders.

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