UPDATE: Tiz Shea Wins Indiana Derby; Mr Z 2nd

Jon
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UPDATE: Tiz Shea Wins Indiana Derby; Mr Z 2nd Jul 16, 2015 1:08:49 GMT -5

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Post by Jon on Jul 16, 2015 1:08:49 GMT -5

Must be fun to date Coach - never miss a dance!

Mr. Z, Divining Rod Rematch in Indiana Derby
Bloodhorse

Fresh off a win in the $500,000 Ohio Derby, Calumet Farm's Mr. Z has been selected as the morning-line favorite for the $500,000-added Indiana Derby (gr. II) July 18 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

The 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon is trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who will be saddling his 10th starter in the Indiana Derby. Lukas has two previous wins in the race, scoring with Dubai Dust in 1997 and with Orientate in 2001. He will again bring in Joe Bravo to ride Mr. Z with hopes of reprising their performance in the Ohio Derby. The duo starts from the rail in a field of eight at odds of 2-1.

NOVAK: Mr. Z Has His Day in Ohio Derby

Joining Mr. Z as a top choice in the race is Divining Rod, who begins from post 2 at odds of 5-2 under jockey Alex Cintron. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Divining Rod was third in his previous start behind Mr. Z in the Ohio Derby and was also a third-place finisher in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) behind eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. The Tapit colt has not been worse than third in five starts this year, with his sole 2015 victory recorded in the $250,000 Lexington Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland in April.

Another favorite for the Indiana Derby is Island Town, who will begin from post 6 at odds of 3-1. The Hard Spun gelding has won his past two starts, including the $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs last time out. Island Town is trained by Ian Wilkes, who has one previous Indiana Derby winner—Neck 'n Neck, who took the 2012 edition. Julien Leparoux, regular rider aboard Island Town, is named to ride.

"This is a very well rounded bunch," said Kevin Greely, director of racing at Indiana Grand. "They have the right past performances, and quite a few have played in the big leagues, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. I'm very excited about this race. I think it will be a great race to watch."

Deliverance Day will be the local connection represented in the Indiana Derby. Although he is listed as the longest shot on the board at odds of 20-1, the Purim gelding comes into the race off two straight wins at Churchill. Trainer Tim Glyshaw feels the start in the Indiana Derby is a good spot for the colt.

"We claimed him for $30,000 last fall and thought he would be a pretty nice horse for us on the turf," said Glyshaw. "A start on the turf didn't go as well as we thought. But this year, his last two races on the dirt were great starts and that gives us the right to try him in a race like this because he beat a pretty nice field. There is a lot of speed and in all likelihood, it may set up for the horses that come off the pace, which includes our horse."

The Indiana Derby is Saturday's featured race and will be held as the ninth on a 10-race card with an estimated post time of 9:41 p.m. EDT. It is joined by five more stakes, including the $200,000-added Indiana Oaks (gr. II), which will be contested as race eight with an estimated post time of 9:11 p.m. ET.

The 20th running of the Indiana Oaks drew a field of 11 fillies. Likely favorites in the race include Silverpocketsfull from the Wilkes barn and third-place finisher in the $500,000 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) last time out April 4; and Ahh Chocolate from the barn of Neil Howard, a third-place finisher in her last start in the $250,000 Black Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II).

Indiana Derby (gr. II)

Indiana Grand, Saturday, July 18, 2015, Race 9
1 1/16m
Dirt
$500,000
3 yo
9:41 PM (local)

1 Mr. Z (KY) Joe Bravo 124 D. Wayne Lukas
2 Divining Rod (KY) Alex Cintron 124 Arnaud Delacour
3 Tiz Shea D (KY) Jose Lezcano 117 William I. Mott
4 Alabaster (KY) Julio E. Felix 117 Eoin G. Harty
5 Bold Conquest (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 117 Steven M. Asmussen
6 Island Town (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 124 Ian R. Wilkes
7 Far Right (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 124 Ron Moquett
8 Deliverance Day (KY) Albin Jimenez 117 Tim Glyshaw

Indiana Oaks (gr. II)

Indiana Grand, Saturday, July 18, 2015, Race 8
1 1/16m
Dirt
$200,000
3 yo Fillies
9:11 PM (local)

1 Oceanwave (KY) Shaun Bridgmohan 121 Wayne M. Catalano
2 High Dollar Woman (KY) Joseph Rocco, Jr. 115 Steve Hobby
3 Affect (KY) Fernando De La Cruz 121 Eoin G. Harty
4 Sweetgrass (KY) Chris Landeros 115 Ian R. Wilkes
5 All Day Alice (NY) Florent Geroux 121 Jon M. Cowan
6 Ahh Chocolate (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Neil J. Howard
7 Pangburn (KY) Robby Albarado 119 Kenneth G. McPeek
8 Zeven (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 121 Eddie Kenneally
9 Tiger Ride (KY) Alex Cintron 121 H. Graham Motion
10 Emmajestic (KY) Miguel Mena 121 Michelle Lovell
11 Silverpocketsfull (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 115 Ian R. Wilkes
- See more at: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/93039/mr-z-divining-rod-rematch-in-indiana-derby#sthash.xcQqL1lw.dpuf

Last Edit: Jul 19, 2015 18:07:25 GMT -5 by Evelyn

Deleted
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UPDATE: Tiz Shea Wins Indiana Derby; Mr Z 2nd Jul 17, 2015 5:50:33 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 5:50:33 GMT -5

hey look!! its javas snore, err, i mean far right.

sorry, i get donkeys mixed up now and then.

but then again, at javas did win at least one meaningful race in his career before he went to the shit house.

Evelyn
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Posts: 5,905

UPDATE: Tiz Shea Wins Indiana Derby; Mr Z 2nd Jul 19, 2015 18:06:39 GMT -5

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Post by Evelyn on Jul 19, 2015 18:06:39 GMT -5

Interesting race. I just watched the replay (we were driving back). At least Mr Z got a nice check

Tiz Shea D Survives Mr. Z's Antics in Indiana
By Claire

Jockey Jose Lezcano hasn't ridden much at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, but after watching races all day at the Midwest oval, he knew the outside path was the place to be aboard $500,000 Indiana Derby (gr. II) contender Tiz Shea D. Watch Video

In looking over a field of eight sophomores for the 1 1/16-mile event, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and assistant Kenny McCarthy saw there wasn't much pace aside from speedball Mr. Z, and decided to let their contender wing right along up there with him if the race unfolded that way.

Both decisions proved fortuitous July 18, as Tiz Shea D tracked the pace set by Ohio Derby winner Mr. Z and then ran him down with a sweeping outside move en route to a 1 1/4-length victory, despite being floated wide around the turn by his erratic rival. The final time was 1:43.02 on a sloppy track.

Tiz Shea D, a son of Tiznow who races for Brous Stable, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable, exited a runner-up finish after setting the pace June 2 in a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Belmont Park. He collected his first graded score and his first win since breaking his maiden at first asking this past February at Parx Racing. Between victories were three decent efforts in graded events—a runner-up finish in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III), a fifth in the TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I), and a fourth in the Peter Pan (gr. II).

"He's been improving race by race," McCarthy said. "Looking at the (past performances), Bill said it didn't look like there was a lot of speed in here, and our horse had shown some speed, so we told Jose, 'Go ahead and let him be happy near the front.'

"You know, Mr. Z is a great horse, and when you get in a dogfight with him, it's going to be tough. Jose gave our horse a little breather on the frontside and then when he went for him. He tried to get by him as fast as he could and not play around with it."

Mr. Z, coming off that Ohio Derby victory June 20 and carrying 124 pounds (as did Divining Rod, Island Town, and Far Right), broke like a shot and went straight to the lead for a quarter in :24.21 and a half in :48.31. Headed into the first turn, it looked as if those two might engage in a battle for the lead, but Tiz Shea D rated well for Lezcano under his 117-pound impost and settled into second 1 1/2 lengths back of the leader.

"The horse has been working very good, and when he broke out of the gates, he broke very well," Lezcano said. "I've been watching races all day and I thought the outside was better. When I went out, he won the race."

Mr. Z still had the advantage headed for home through three-quarters in 1:12.08, but bore out strongly and drifted Tiz Shea D wide coming off the turn. He did not halt his rival's momentum, however, and Tiz Shea D dug in to put away Mr. Z while running a 1:36.81 mile.

Tiz Shea D returned $10.80, $5.40, and $3.40 as the 4-1 third choice, while 7-2 second choice Mr. Z paid $4.80 and $2.80, with Divining Rod, the 7-5 favorite, returning $2.60. Bold Conquest was fourth, followed home by Island Town, Far Right, Alabaster, and Deliverance Day.

The winner was bred in Kentucky by Green Lantern Stables out of the A.P. Indy mare Ender's Sister. He went through the auction ring four times, first as a weanling at the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, where he sold for $67,000 to Wesley Melcher from the Paramount Sales consignment. He then failed to meet his reserve for $117,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling sale when consigned by Hidden Brook, and was also an RNA for $100,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale when consigned by Double Infinity Ranch.

Finally, Tiz Shea D sold for $65,000 to Daniel Shea at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale from Paul Sharp's consignment. He broke his maiden for Shea, and then was purchased privately by his current connections. His record now stands at two wins and two seconds from six starts, with earnings of $460,056.