Cazoo Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stone Age The Prime Choice for Moore

ROSEGREEN, Ireland–Ryan Moore will find it difficult to ride anything other than Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby, according to Aidan O'Brien, who may be without the ace–Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB})–in his Epsom pack, but expects to run up to six colts as he bids for a record-extending ninth win in the race on June 4.

Stone Age didn't just open the door to a tilt at the Derby in winning the G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday, he kicked it open and announced himself as a leading player in demolishing the field and skyrocketing to a general 5-2 favourite for Epsom glory in the process.

O'Brien's breakthrough Derby winner, Galileo (Ire), charted a similar path to Epsom by winning that same Derby Trial at Leopardstown, and the master of Ballydoyle admits it could be hard for Moore to ride anything other than Stone Age next month.

“I think he [Ryan] would find it hard to not ride the horse from yesterday [Stone Age],” O'Brien said on Monday. “I imagine Ryan will find it hard not to ride him.”

Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), impressive winners of their respective trials at Chester, Lingfield Derby Trial winner United Nations (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and 2,000 Guineas disappointment Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), will give Moore something to think about, but O'Brien revealed there would have been no decision to make if Luxembourg remained in the picture.

The long-time ante-post favourite for the Derby, Luxembourg ran a cracker to finish third in the 2,000 Guineas but has been ruled out until at least the autumn after picking up a muscular problem behind.

O'Brien explained, “I am disappointed for the lads. He is a very good horse. I don't think Ryan would have had a choice to make if he were fit.”

When a comparison was made between Luxembourg and St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), O'Brien added, “He probably has more scope than St Nicholas Abbey had. St Nick ran well in the Guineas [sixth] as well but he didn't run as well as this lad did. Luxembourg ran extremely well to make the ground up and finish third. We didn't really see what he was able to do.”

Despite not managing to win in five starts at two, O'Brien outlined how that experience stood to the new Derby favourite Stone Age, who is now unbeaten in his two starts this term and heads to Epsom as the leading Ballydoyle challenger.

O'Brien said, “It'd be hard not to be impressed with what Stone Age did at Leopardstown. You'd like to have something lead him but there was no point in messing him about. Ryan let him bowl along and he was very impressive.

“He has a lot of experience from his juvenile days. He was happy to get a lead at two. He'd have learnt a lot at two. We were running him and teaching him. He learnt a lot in those races.”

It seems somewhat ironic that O'Brien will face some of the stiffest competition in the Derby from his son Donnacha who appears to have outstanding claims of making his own breakthrough in the race with impressive Ballysax winner Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}).

Respecting the opposition, O'Brien said, “We always do our best to win no matter what. I am always happy if they [Donnacha or Joseph] beat us. They are rivals, one hundred per cent, but I am always delighted when we get beaten by them. Believe me, there's no inch given anywhere.”

O'Brien also holds the key to the Oaks and nominated Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a sister to Minding (Ire) and the general 7-2 favourite for the race, as the pick of his team for the fillies' Classic.

Tuesday overcame inexperience to finish strongly for third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and O'Brien is convinced that there's more to come.

He said, “Tuesday doesn't turn three until the first week in June and, to be doing what she's doing is unreal. Her run in the Guineas would suggest that she's crying out for a step up in trip. She's still only a baby and we are thinking of running in the Irish Guineas and then going on to the Oaks, just like what Minding did.”

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Jockeys’ Guard Of Honour For The Queen On Derby Day

As part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Britain, Her Majesty The Queen will be given a guard of honour of 40 retired and current jockeys on her arrival at Epsom on Cazoo Derby Day.

The Derby meeting on June 3 and 4 falls within an extended bank holiday weekend which will feature countrywide celebrations to mark the Queen's 70th anniversary on the throne. Epsom Downs Racecourse will further honour the occasion by renaming the Queen's Stand as The Queen Elizabeth II Stand.

The Derby is the only one of the five British Classics which has not been won by The Queen. In 1977, the year of her Silver Jubilee, she won the Oaks and the St Leger with Dunfermline (GB) (Royal Palace {GB}). That filly's jockey Willie Carson, now 79 and himself a Classic-winning breeder, will be among the guard of honour on Derby day.

He said, “[The Queen] is the patron of racing. Without her we would be a little bit lost, because her patronage is a very valuable thing.

“It's not just the horseracing she enjoys, she enjoys the breeding side of it. She likes to know from trainers how the horse is behaving and its attitude, its temperament. She wants to know those things. That's what she's really interested in. The winning post is the end result and she enjoys that, of course, but she enjoys everything before you get to the winning post. That gives her the most pleasure.”

The Queen last had a runner in the Derby in 2011 when Carlton House finished third to Pour Moi (Ire). She has three homebreds remaining among the entries for this year's race–the G3 Solario S. winner Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), last week's Newmarket winner Educator (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and General Idea (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). A reigning monarch has won the Derby only once, when Minoru (Ire) triumphed in 1909 for King Edward VII.

Phil White, London regional director of The Jockey Club, said, “We are absolutely delighted that this year's Cazoo Derby will be a part of the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations and excited and proud to be able to take the opportunity to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her enormous contribution to horseracing over many, many years.”

He continued, “We know that The Queen intends to be with us on the day and to mark her arrival at the racecourse we will form a guard of honour of around 40 retired and current jockeys all dressed in Her Majesty's silks. We're also inviting members of the local community and some local charities to support the guard of honour as flag-bearers.

“Derby Day always has that spectacular carnival atmosphere and we're looking forward to a display from the Red Devils and a military band's performance of the National Anthem which will all add to a wonderful occasion.”

Included among the guard of honour will be Derby-winning jockeys Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori and John Reid, as well as Hayley Turner, who has ridden regularly in the Queen's silks.

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Tiz the Bomb Flashes Home in Jeff Ruby Steaks

On a day of three 100-point prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby, it was TIZ THE BOMB (c, 3, Hit It a Bomb–Tiz the Key, by Tiznow)–a colt not officially pointing to the Derby–who won Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park to snag one of those coveted 100-point slots. Drifting from 6-5 out to 8-5, but still clearly favored as the gates flew in, Tiz the Bomb had a smooth break and sat a midfield trip on the outside through fractions of :23.25 and :47.06. Breathing menacingly down the leaders' necks, he was let go by Brian Hernandez, Jr. at about the six-furlong mark and quickly moved into contention. Tiz the Bomb overhauled a simultaneously moving Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), who had unseated rider Manny Franco prior to the race, and took command with ease after a couple of left-handed taps, winning wrapped up with giant strides as he threw his ears forward crossing the wire.

Only eight races on the Kentucky Derby trail give as many as 100 points to the winner–good for a guaranteed spot in the Derby starting gate–but trainer Kenny McPeek suggested before the race that Tiz the Bomb will likely bypass the Derby and target the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Apr. 30 and/or the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom June 4. He wasn't as firm on that stance immediately after the race.

“We're not going to make a decision quickly,” said McPeek, who said the ownership team wasn't going to rule out the Kentucky Derby. “We'll have to figure out some details. I do think the further he goes, the better. Just a real special colt. We've got some options and they're really great options. Right now, we'll enjoy this and go from there.”

He added regarding the Jeff Ruby Steaks trip: “Brian had him in a really good spot and it looked like he was going to have to carry some outside ground to get there, but he's a good-enough horse to handle it. I'm glad he had him out of trouble. This colt traveled the furthest distance and got it done anyway… We shouldn't rule out Kentucky right now. I think he might be able to handle that.”

The Turfway feature, now in its 51st running, has been contested under seven different names/sponsorships throughout the years and has produced two Kentucky Derby winners in Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}, 2011) and Lil E. Tee (At the Threshold, 1992).

The Jeff Ruby Steaks was Tiz the Bomb's second win in as many starts on Turfway's synthetic surface, as he was coming off a victory in the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 5 after a sophomore dirt experiment that led to an off-the-board finish behind White Abarrio (Race Day) and Simplification (Not This Time) in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Feb. 5. Those two were one-three in Saturday's GI Florida Derby. Last year, Tiz the Bomb was Keeneland's GII Bourbon S. winner and Del Mar's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up, in addition to victor of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S.

Pedigree Notes:

McPeek is known for his prowess in picking out horses at the sales that may be overlooked by others and going on to success with them. While no one would have called Tiz the Bomb a bargain at $330,000, as he was Hit It a Bomb's most expensive yearling by far and one of only two to bring six figures, it had to take nerves of steel to buy a yearling by an unproven sire for so far over that stallion's average and median. McPeek has been rewarded with Hit It a Bomb's most successful runner to date. The War Front stallion, who stands at Spendthrift and was winner of the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, has two graded winners and three black-type winners from two small crops to race.

In contrast, broodmare sire Tiznow, who is pensioned at WinStar, is no stranger to the stakes scene as he has 52 black-type winners out of his daughters, including GI Belmont S./GI Travers S./GI Florida Derby/GI Champagne S. winner Tiz the Law (Constitution), who was also second in the 2020 GI Kentucky Derby.

Tiz the Bomb was bred by Spendthrift after the farm had purchased Tiz the Key for $330,000–the same price her son would eventually bring–as a 2012 Keeneland September yearling. She's been bred exclusively to Spendthrift stallions, with 2-year-old filly Bel Rosso (Free Drop Billy), who sold for $180,000 at FTKOCT to Rocket Ship Racing, and a yearling colt by Mor Spirit in the pipeline. She delivered a Gormley filly Feb. 25. Tiz the Key hails from one of the best families in the stud book, as her fourth dam is Gay Missile (Sir Gaylord). Among Gay Missile's several influential foals were Lassie Dear (Buckpasser), dam of Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise (Secretariat), who in turn produced A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew). Gay Missile was out of blue hen Missy Baba (My Babu {Fr}), whose notable foals included Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth (Buckpasser).

Saturday, Turfway Park
JEFF RUBY STEAKS S.-GIII, $600,000, Turfway, 4-2, 3yo, 1 1/8m (AWT), 1:48.60, ft.
1–TIZ THE BOMB, 123, c, 3, by Hit It a Bomb
1st Dam: Tiz the Key, by Tiznow
2nd Dam: Cabbage Key, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Mayville's Magic, by Gone West
($330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Magdalena Racing, Lessee;
B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian
Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $351,400. Lifetime Record: GISP,
8-5-1-0, $1,044,401. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tawny Port, 123, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by
Macho Uno. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($430,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $114,000.
3–Rich Strike, 123, c, 3, Keen Ice–Gold Strike, by Smart Strike.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-RED TR-Racing, LLC; B-Calumet
Farm (KY); T-Eric R. Reed. $57,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 3.70, 26.20.
Also Ran: Dowagiac Chief, Royal Spirit, Cabo Spirit, Stolen Base, Red Run, Constitutionlawyer, Swing Shift, Great Escape, Optigogo. Scratched: Blackadder. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Ninety-One Entered For Derby

Ninety-one entries have been taken for the G1 Cazoo Derby, which is set to be run for the 243rd time at Epsom Downs on June 4.

This year's Derby will include Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen, and the Derby features three entries from her stable, headed by her homebred G3 Solario S. winner Reach For The Moon (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), trained by John and Thady Gosden. Champion 2-year-old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is nominated, as are top 2021 2-year-olds like El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}). Trainer Kenny McPeek has nominated Tiz The Bomb (Hit It A Bomb), who won last year's GII Bourbon S. on the turf at Keeneland and was second to Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

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