Welcome to Amercia's Best Racing's Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, where ABR takes a look at a recent winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule offering qualifying points to the 1 1/4-mile classic race May 3 at Churchill Downs.
This week, ABR takes a closer look at Tiztastic, the winner by 2 1/4 lengths of the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) March 22 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. With the win the Tiz the Law colt earned 100 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. He ranks first on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 119 points in total and has a starting spot secured for the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
Racing Résumé: Tiztastic has hovered on the periphery of legitimate Kentucky Derby contenders since he ran second in his graded stakes debut in the Street Sense Stakes (G3) Oct. 27, 2024, at Churchill Downs, beaten by five lengths by Sovereignty. He subsequently finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) and $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) before he was well-beaten in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2), a race in which he finished 6 1/2 lengths behind winner Coal Battle.
Entering the Louisiana Derby March 22 at Fair Grounds, the Tiz the Law colt's two career wins both had come in turf races. While he had shown the ability to be competitive in dirt stakes, Tiztastic had been beaten by at least 2 1/2 lengths in his four attempts. That all changed in 1:56.20 Saturday in New Orleans.
Tiztastic raced in ninth of 10 after a fast half-mile in :46.84 in the 1 3/16-mile race, moved up on the backstretch while saving ground, and surged into contention with a well-timed rally on the final turn under Joel Rosario. He surged past Chunk of Gold, pacesetter John Hancock, and Built in early stretch to take command and pulled away to a convincing win.
Speed Figures: Tiztastic earned a career-best 99 Equibase Speed Figure and his best Beyer Speed Figure with a 95, the latter a five-point improvement and the former a two-point jump. He almost certainly would need another increase to be a win candidate in the Kentucky Derby.
Running Style: Tiztastic is a closer who prefers to make one sustained rally in the closing stages of his races and the strategy was executed perfectly by Rosario in the Louisiana Derby. He benefitted from a swift pace to close into and a clear trip for his closing bid, but he had a similarly fast pace in the Rebel Stakes and was not a factor. Closers are dependent upon an element of racing luck for an honest pace and a clear path, the latter of which can be difficult to find in a 20-horse field for the Kentucky Derby.
Pedigree Notes: Tiztastic is from the first crop of Tiz the Law, winner of the shortened 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes (G1) during the COVID-19 2020 season when the Belmont was held before the Kentucky Derby. He is one of five stakes winners and three graded stakes winners from Tiz the Law's first crop of runners. Tiz the Law is by Constitution , a son of Tapit .
Tiztastic's dam is unraced Keesha, by Tapit, making Tiztastic closely inbred 2x3 to leading sire and stamina influence Tapit. Tiztastic is a half brother to grade 2-placed stakes winner Interpolate. His third dam is multiple grade 1 winner Strategic Maneuver, by another stamina influence in Cryptoclearance.
Derby Potential: Every year when evaluating Kentucky Derby prospects, I look for 3-year-olds who I believe can win the race and others I believe might be viable options to add value when building exacta and trifecta tickets. Closers are great options for the second group and I think Tiztastic fits the bill. He excelled when stretching out to 1 3/16 miles and has a solid foundation of eight races and his speed figures, with a slight improvement on six weeks of rest, would make him a candidate for a top-three finish. Could he win? Sure, but I much prefer others such as Journalism and Sovereignty as win candidates, while I could see Tiztastic closing steadily for a top-three finish.
