Tyler's Tribe back on dirt with Lasix for opening-day Advent Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tyler’s Tribe will be back on dirt, back on Lasix, and back home Friday for the $150,000 Advent on opening day at Oaklawn Park.

“He’s an Arkie,” quipped co-owner and trainer Tim Martin.

Tyler’s Tribe is famously a superstar Iowa-bred who after putting up some of this year’s best Beyer Speed Figures for a 2-year-old advanced to the Breeders’ Cup. But his path to the big dance actually started in Hot Springs.

“I broke him here, at the training center I have with my brothers,” Martin said. “He was at our training center all the way until spring.”

From there, Tyler’s Tribe made his way to Prairie Meadows in his native Iowa and won all five of his starts at the track before finishing 12th in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The Advent, which is for 2-year-olds over 5 1/2 furlongs, highlights a nine-race opening-day card that starts at 12:30 p.m. Central. The forecast is favorable, with partly cloudy skies and a high of 67 degrees, according to AccuWeather.

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Tyler’s Tribe is one of two stakes winners in the nine-horse Advent, along with How Did He Do That. Frosted Departure was third in the Ed Brown last out at Churchill Downs, and Count de Monet is making his stakes debut after starting his career 2 for 2.

Tyler’s Tribe has a couple of things in his favor for the Advent.

“I think getting back on dirt and Lasix,” Martin said.

Martin said Tyler’s Tribe bled in the Breeders’ Cup, which was run Lasix-free. It was the horse’s first defeat after winning five straight races by a combined margin of 59 3/4 lengths.

“That was a big shock, caught me off guard,” Martin said of the bleeding episode. “He washed out before he went in the gate, and that’s not like him. He always takes everything good.”

Martin brought Tyler’s Tribe home to Arkansas, gave him some time off, and the horse has since been working at Oaklawn.

“I’ve breezed him twice, scoped him, and he was clean,” Martin said. “Throw his turf race out and he looks pretty strong to me. Without any trouble, he’s a definite contender.”

Tyler’s Tribe paired up Beyer Figures in the 90s over the summer, when winning the Iowa Stallion Futurity and the Prairie Meadows Freshman. The latter race came against open company, as did his win in the Prairie Gold Juvenile in early July. Tyler’s Tribe has a fourth stakes win, the Iowa Cradle in October, where he covered six furlongs in 1:09.74.

Kylee Jordan, who has ridden Tyler’s Tribe throughout his career, has the mount Friday from post 5.

“There’s a lot of speed, he’s a lot of speed,” Martin said. “I don’t think he needs to be on the lead. He just gets himself there. He’s just that fast.”

Tyler’s Tribe is a son of Sharp Azteca and races for Thomas Lepic. The horse is named for Lepic’s young grandson and the group that has supported him as he’s battled – and beaten – leukemia.

How Did He Do That won the Zia Park Juvenile last out after ripping through six furlongs in 1:08.81. He will break from post 4 on Friday. Isaac Castillo has the mount for J. Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Steve Asmussen.

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