by Mike Curry

Tough Tiz’s Sis rolled past pacesetter Rite Moment on the turn and powered to a 12 1/4-length romp in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The Tiznow filly stalked the pace early, surged well clear in the stretch, and was not challenged en route to her second career Grade 1 win for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Karl Watson and Weitman Performances.

Baffert scratched 7-to-5 morning-line favorite Indian Blessing on Saturday after thunderstorms from Tropical Storm Hanna deluged the Elmont, New York, track, but he had another formidable contender for the 1 1/16-mile race in Tough Tiz’s Sis.

“She has been training very well, and all I told [jockey] Edgar [Prado] was to be sure to keep this filly’s face clean,” Baffert said. “She doesn’t like dirt in her face. Last year at the Breeders’ Cup [on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park], she got caught in behind horses and had dirt in her face and it was a complete disaster.”

Tough Tiz’s Sis broke alertly and was rated in second by Prado and Rite Moment dictated the pace through an opening quarter in :22.69 and a half-mile in :45.03.

“Coming out of the gate, I put her in a good spot,” Prado said. “She was handling it very well—no problem. I was very impressed.”
           
Tough Tiz’s Sis surged ahead to challenge on the turn and cemented the victory by driving well clear in early stretch as the 4.30-to-1 third choice in the eight-horse field. She completed the distance in 1:40.46 on a sealed sloppy track to improve to eight wins in 20 career starts.

Runner-up Copper State finished 1 1/4 lengths clear of Stage Luck. Rite Moment faded to fifth, Grade 2 winner Spring Waltz finished sixth as the 5-to-2 favorite, and Grade 1 winner Little Belle finished seventh in her first start against older fillies and mares.

Tough Tiz’s Sis won the Hawthorne Handicap (G3) on May 4 at Hollywood Park and entered the Ruffian off a third-place finish in the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (G2) on August 2 at Del Mar. Tough Tiz’s Sis won the 2007 Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1) and has finished on the board in 16 of her 20 career starts while banking $903,792 in purse earnings.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor