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Tawny Port Punches Kentucky Derby Ticket

Peachtree Stable's Tawny Port (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by Macho Uno), second in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. just two weeks ago at Turfway, punched his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby for trainer Brad Cox with a good-looking win in Saturday's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland.

The 5-1 shot found a good spot in an outside fifth rounding the clubhouse turn. Traveling nicely while three wide heading into the far turn, he rolled up on the outside of the top two in the stretch and powered down the center to win going away by a length over the pacesetting Major General (Constitution). The latter, winner of last year's GIII Iroquois S., was adding blinkers following a dismal 10th in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 12.

Favored In Due Time (Not This Time), runner-up in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5, raced further back than expected and was along for third.

A winner of his first two tries going a mile over the Turfway synthetic Dec. 4 and Jan. 7, Tawny Port was a respectable fifth–beaten 7 3/4 lengths by likely Derby favorite Epicenter (Not This Time)–with a troubled trip in his first try on dirt in a live renewal of the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 19. He was a solid second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, to Tiz the Bomb (Hit it a Bomb), in the Jeff Ruby Steaks last time.

The Risen Star form has since produced: subsequent GII Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter (first); GI Blue Grass S. first and second Zandon (Upstart) (third) and Smile Happy (Runhappy) (second); and GIII Sunland Derby winner Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) (sixth).

“He responded today,” Cox said. “There was a little bit of a question mark with how well he would handle the dirt. He ran well at the Fair Grounds. Florent [Geroux] came back and had positive comments after that race, and I thought, 'Well, you know, right now, maybe you try to go in the Jeff Ruby Steaks.' So that's what we did, and he ran a real respectable race. Then we found ourselves nominated to this race and it worked out today.”

As for the Kentucky Derby, Cox added, “We'll see how he comes out of [today's race]. I'd like to congratulate [owners] John and Elizabeth Fort. This was John's idea, to come back in two weeks immediately after the Jeff Ruby. He said, 'We need to look at this race,' and I said, 'Well, I nominated him.' We watched him and he seemed to have a great energy level and his weight's great. He's a good-looking colt–really good-looking. [John Fort] picked him out.”

Pedigree Notes:

Tawny Port, the 21st graded winner and 44th black-type winner for Pioneerof the Nile, is a member of his sire's penultimate crop. The late WinStar sire's first crop consisted of five graded winners and it just got better from there, with Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah a member of his second. Pioneerof the Nile, a MGISW and runner-up in the 2009 GI Kentucky Derby, died unexpectedly at age 13 in 2019.

Livi Makenzie was a $5,500 Keeneland September purchase for Mike Walker in 2010, was third in two graded events and won the 2013 Saylorville S. at Prairie Meadows, then was purchased by WinStar for $190,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. She had four foals for WinStar, the last being Tawny Port–who sold for $430,000 to John P. Fort at Keeneland September–and was resold at the 2020 Keeneland November sale for $30,000 to St. Simon Place and Scott Stephens while in foal to Always Dreaming. That Always Dreaming foal is now a yearling filly and the mare was bred back to WinStar stallion Global Campaign for 2022.

Tawny Port traces directly to 1959 Kentucky Oaks split division winner Hidden Talent (Dark Star), her seventh dam. Hidden Talent is most remembered today for two important daughters: 1986 Broodmare of the Year Too Bald (Bald Eagle), dam of champion Capote (Seattle Slew), MGISW Exceller (Vaguely Noble), and other stakes winners; and Turn to Talent (Turn-to), granddam of MGISW and leading sire Broad Brush (Ack Ack) and several other black-type winners. It is through Turn to Talent that Tawny Port traces.

Livi Makenzie is by champion Macho Uno, who now has 20 stakes winners out of his daughters. His 2021 Soaring Free S. winner First Empire (Classic Empire) is by a son of Pioneerof the Nile, while Pioneerof the Nile's MGSW and young sire Cairo Prince is out of a mare by Holy Bull, Macho Uno's sire.

Saturday, Keeneland
STONESTREET LEXINGTON S.-GIII, $398,750, Keeneland, 4-16, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.24, ft.
1–TAWNY PORT, 118, c, 3, by Pioneerof the Nile
                1st Dam: Livi Makenzie (SW & MGSP, $354,069), by Macho Uno
                2nd Dam: Greta's Joy, by Joyeux Danseur
                3rd Dam: Trust Greta, by Centrust
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($430,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $229,400. Lifetime Record:
5-3-1-0, $427,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Major General, 118, c, 3, Constitution–No Mo Lemons, by
Uncle Mo. ($265,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $420,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC; B-Circular
Road Breeders (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $74,000.
3–In Due Time, 118, c, 3, Not This Time–Sweet Sweet Annie, by
Curlin. ($9,500 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $35,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP;
$95,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Edge Racing, Medallion Racing
and Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc.
(KY); T-Kelly J. Breen. $37,000.
Margins: 1, 1HF, 1. Odds: 5.10, 7.10, 1.90.
Also Ran: Ethereal Road, Strava, Dash Attack, Midnight Chrome, Howling Time, Call Me Midnight, Skate to Heaven, We All See It.
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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In Due Time Seeks to Land on Derby Bubble in Lexington

It's last call for many in Keeneland's GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. as the race to solidify, or sneak into, the GI Kentucky Derby starting gate enters the final furlong. In Due Time (Not This Time) heads this field with an ever-improving resume in both distance and class. A debut winner in the mud at Monmouth last summer, the chestnut was shelved for six months, resurfacing with a third in a Gulfstream optional claimer Jan. 8. A dominant optional claimer winner next out when extended to a mile in Hallandale Feb. 4, good for a 92 Beyer Speed Figure, he was a strong second behind Simplification (Not This Time) in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. last out Mar. 5. In Due Time currently sits in 29th on the Derby leaderboard with 20 points and he could secure 20 more with a win here, which would put him right on the bubble for a spot in the Derby starting gate.

One who races to keep his spot as number 20 on the leaderboard is the hard-trying Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), who is one of five runners with 40 points. A win here will jump the colt into 12th with 60. Opening his account with a pair of wins on the Turfway synthetic, Tawny Port closed to be fifth in his first try on dirt in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds Feb. 19, which was one by Derby points leader Epicenter (Not This Time). Second to Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) last out Apr. 2 in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. back on the synthetic at Turfway Park, Tawny Port will try to overcome a two-week turnaround as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

The formidable WinStar and Siena Farm partnership will send out two in hopes of landing points and a spot on the bubble: Major General (Constitution) and Strava (Into Mischief), who is also owner in partnership with Denny Crum. A $420,000 KEESEP buy, Major General followed a first-out score with a win in the GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill in September. He adds blinkers for this event after a non-factor 10th in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 12. Also adding blinkers here, $825,000 KEENOV purchase Strava captured his debut sprinting at Keeneland in October and was second next out in the slop at Fair Grounds Jan. 15. Extended to two turns in NOLA a month later, the bay checked in third behind recent GI Arkansas Derby victor Cyberknife (Gun Runner).

D. Wayne Lukas saddles Ethereal Road (Quality Road), who is back in just a week after a tired seventh-place effort Apr. 9 in the local GI Toyota Blue Grass S.

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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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