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Tiz the Bomb ‘Primed’ For Jeff Ruby Steaks

A veteran of just seven career starts, Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) has already won races on dirt and turf and looks to stay perfect in two starts on the synth in Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.

A $330,000 graduate of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, the bay aired in a rained-off event over the Ellis main track to graduate at second asking last July, then switched to the grass to take the lucrative Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Sept. 6 and the Oct. 10 GII Bourbon S. at Keeneland. Second–though pari-mutuelly first–in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, he flopped when seventh in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5 and took nicely to this surface when outgaming Bourbon runner-up and Juvenile Turf seventh Stolen Base (Bodemeister) in the Mar. 5 John Battaglia Memorial S. The latter adds blinkers Saturday afternoon. In addition to the Triple Crown, Tiz the Bomb holds entries for the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas over Newmarket's straight mile Apr. 30 and for the G1 Cazoo Derby going a mile and a half at Epsom June 4.

Dowagiac Chief (Cairo Prince) is the owner of the field's best Beyer Speed Figure, having earned an 88 for his five-length romp in the grassy Black Gold S. at the Fair Grounds Mar. 5. Fifth and beaten four lengths at 42-1 in the Bourbon S., the $110,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase is a full-sister to Cairo Diamond, who made each of her five career starts on the synthetic main track at Woodbine, coming from the clouds to break her maiden in what was her final appearance.

Red Run (Gun Runner) ran out a half-length winner of the Jan. 30 Texas Turf Mile last time, leaving Stolen Base and Dowagiac Chief behind in third and fourth, respectively. The Winchell homebred is meant to be any kind, as he is out of a full-sister to champion Untapable (Tapit); to GISW Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}), runner-up in the 2010 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. on the Polytrack; and to the dam of GSW Majestic Eagle (Medaglia d'Oro).

The outposted Blackadder (Quality Road), last-out winner of the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, is expected to scratch in favor of next Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland. The defection will allow Swing Shift (Midnight Storm) to draw in off the also-eligible list.

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Gufo Back To The Races in Pan American

The lone Grade I winner in a field of seven, Otter Bend Stables' Gufo (Declaration of War) looks to take his record over the Gulfstream turf course to a perfect four-from-four in Saturday's GII Pan American S.

After being given too much to do when a near-miss second in the GI Man O'War S. and third in the GI Manhattan S. last spring, the athletic chestnut was equipped with blinkers and validated the decision with a one-length defeat of Tide of the Sea (English Channel) in the Grand Couturier S. at Belmont July 5. He outbattled the globetrotting Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) to earn his first Grade I in the Sword Dancer S. at the Spa Aug. 28, but was a disappointing third after a premature move to the lead in the GI Turf Classic Invitational Oct. 9 and was only 10th in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf when last seen Nov. 6.

“There were perhaps a lot of factors going against him that day, pace being one of them,” trainer Christophe Clement's son and assistant, Miguel, said of the Breeders' Cup. “He had a very bad draw. He never settled throughout the first part of the race because it was a paceless race. He was perhaps a bit too keen, and it was perhaps one race too many for the campaign. Previously he was never out of the money. He is very consistent and he had never run a bad race.”

Should Gufo not be ready to fire something close to his best, Temple (Temple City) could be the chief beneficiary. Another in a series of shrewd claims by trainer Mike Maker when haltered for $80,000 last November, the 6-year-old was an allowance third at Aqueduct the following month, picked up a nice check when runner-up to Abaan (Will Take Charge) in the GIII W.L. McKnight S. over track and distance Jan. 22 and got over the hump with a one-length tally in the GII Mac Diarmida S. over 11 furlongs Mar. 5. Abaan was fourth at 3-5 on that occasion.

Speaking of horses for courses, Patricia Generazio's Mid Day Image (Midshipman) won't be mistaken for the owner's former free-wheeling star Presious Passion (Royal Anthem), but he is possessed of that same front-running prowess that has carried him to five victories and one runner-up effort from seven local appearances.

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Another New Wrinkle For Bubble Rock in Fantasy

Having already displayed considerable versatility in her young career, Shortleaf Stable homebred Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) faces yet another test as one of the expected market leaders in Saturday's GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn, a race with an open feel owing to the absence of Secret Oath (Arrogate) and the early scratching of morning-line favorite Eda (Munnings).

After posting a pair of visually impressive victories over turf sprint trips–including the GIII Matron S. at Belmont–Bubble Rock was asked to stretch out to two turns for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf instead of the GII Juvenile Turf Sprint, and though she beat only two rivals home in 12th, closed off decently to finish just 4 1/2 lengths adrift of Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Second to a race-fit and in-form Marissa's Lady (Violence) in the Feb. 12 Valdale S. sprinting over the Turfway synthetic, she most recently turned the tables on that one with a 2 1/2-length success in the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy S. Mar. 5. Marissa's Lady returned to annex the Serena's Song S. last Saturday.

The new frontier in the Fantasy is the dirt, but she is bred nicely for it, as she is out of a daughter of GII Demoiselle S. victress Dixie City (Dixie Union), the dam of Korean star and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile third Blue Chipper (Tiznow). Former 'TDN Rising Star' and current Lane's End stallion Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) is further down the page.

Yuugiri (Shackleford) has yet to finish outside the top three in four trips to the post. A 7 1/4-length maiden winner on Churchill debut Sept. 17, the homebred filly was runner-up in the Rags To Riches S. Oct. 31 and to Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 27. She has one run under her belt this term, a useful third to Secret Oath in the Feb. 26 GIII Honeybee S.

Dream Lith also makes her second start of the season here and will look to improve off a mostly even sixth in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 19. She has turned in three very strong works over the local main track since for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

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Filly Is No ‘Secret’ In Arkansas Derby

Having proven heads and shoulders above the local 3-year-old filly contingent, Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath (Arrogate) takes on the boys in Saturday's $1.25-million GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The chestnut figures a warm favorite to become the first of her gender to win the race since her Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddled Althea (Alydar) to score by seven lengths in the 1984 renewal, with future GI Belmont S. runner-up Pine Circle (Cox's Ridge) and GI Preakness S. hero Gate Dancer (Sovereign Dancer) noses apart in second and third.

A maiden winner and fifth to GIII Fantasy S. hopeful Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) in last year's GII Golden Rod S., Secret Oath has been nothing short of sensational in annexing three starts at this meet by a combined 23 lengths. A handy allowance winner on New Year's Eve, the chestnut pummeled her rivals by 7 1/4 lengths in the Jan. 29 Martha Washington S. and again in the GIII Honeybee S. Feb. 26, with eyecatching bursts on each occasion.

Her trainer, whose success with fillies like Althea, Derby winner Winning Colors and Serena's Song is well-documented–has been impressed with Secret Oath's development.

“She's got a running style and the efficiency of motion is good,” Lukas said. “She places herself in the race. I would say the thing that's probably the biggest concern would be a traffic problem. She's very rangy and tall. I don't know about starting and stopping. In the Honeybee, they shut her down, then just 'Boom!' She amazed me that when she dove into the rail [turning for home], she just [took off)].”

Now, to be fair to Althea, who has contributed mightily to the American Stud Book down the years, Secret Oath faces competition not nearly as deep as Althea did 38 years ago. The progressive We the People (Constitution) kicked clear to graduate by nearly six lengths on his one-mile debut Feb. 12 and doubled up with a five-length allowance tally Mar. 12, good for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Those wishing to take a contrarian view will note that the bay colt tracked a very slow pace on the latter occasion and won off like a 2-5 chance should.

Doppelganger (Into Mischief) makes his first start for trainer Tim Yakteen Saturday and has form through Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), to whom he was a disappointing fourth in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29 at Santa Anita before chasing home that rival to finish a distant second in the GII San Vicente S. Mar. 5. The blinkers come off this afternoon.

Un Ojo (Laoban) outran longshot odds to be second to the promising Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the Feb. 5 GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct and looked beaten in this track's GII Rebel S. before surging home on perhaps the best part of the strip to post a half-length success, with Barber Road (Race Day) third.

Cyberknife (Gun Runner) bounced back from a below-par sixth in the GIII Lecomte S. in January with a sound three-length allowance score at the Fair Grounds Feb. 19 and is bound to go off at a price shorter than his 8-1 morning line.

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