by Myra Lewyn
Joseph LaCombe Stable homebred Slew’s Tizzy outbattled favorite and runner-up Past the Point and third-place finisher Ball Four through the stretch before pulling clear to win the $108,200 Native Diver Handicap (G3) in track-record time on Saturday at Hollywood Park.
The trio entered the stretch as a team and dueled three abreast before Slew’s Tizzy dug in between foes and put his head in front in midstretch. He edged clear to a 1 1/2-length triumph under urging from jockey Joel Rosario and covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.78 on the synthetic Cushion Track surface. The time eclipsed the previous mark of 1:47.23 set by Heatseeker (Ire) in the 2007 Native Diver.
Trained by Doug O’Neill, Slew’s Tizzy scored his second win in five starts this season on an artificial surface and proved to be a resilient competitor after a troubled trip on the synthetic Pro-Ride Surface on October 25 at the Oak Tree meet atSanta Anita Park in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The four-year-old Tiznow colt pressed the pace to the far turn in that race before tiring to finish 11th of 12 runners after being bumped by several opponents.
O’Neill said the Breeders’ Cup was a throwaway race.
“We put a line through that race, but at the same time you’re always worried what a race like that does to their confidence,” he said. “It obviously didn’t affect him in a negative way.”
Slew’s Tizzy was more relaxed and more confident on Saturday, Rosario said.
The dark bay or brown colt raced in second early while stalking pacesetter Ball Four though six furlongs in 1:10.12. Rosario gave Slew's Tizzy a cue on the far turn and he willingly responded.
Slew's Tizzy challenged multiple graded stakes winner Ball Four on the turn, but Woodward Stakes (G1) runner-up Past the Point, the 2.20-to-1 favorite who had tracked from third, quickly ranged up threateningly. The trio commenced a spirited battle into the stretch, but Slew's Tizzy had more stamina in store and scored the win.
“It's harder to race between horses because you're under pressure the whole time, but he handled it great," said Rosario, who won five races on Saturday.
Slew's Tizzy, a full brother to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Slew’s Tiznow, improved to five wins in 19 career starts and boosted his lifetime bankroll to $619,619. A former classic starter, he scored victories in the 2007 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) and Lone Star Derby (G3) before a seventh-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1). He is out of the Slewpy mare Hepatica.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor