Cover image courtesy of Darley Australia
Social Paranoia newest graded stakes winner for Street Boss
Possibly the most aptly named horse to visit the winner’s circle at Gulfstream Park on Saturday was Street Boss’s (USA) Social Paranoia (USA) in the Grade 3 Appleton S.
Racing in the back of the pack from the start of the 1600 metre race, the 4-year-old colt looked to have a lot to do as the field entered the turn. But when jockey Florent Geroux swung him to the outside, it was game on with Social Paranoia closing from last to first in the final 200 metres to give trainer Todd Pletcher the exacta in the race and earn the first graded stakes victory of his career.
“I thought he got a little too far back early on, but it worked out well,” Pletcher said. “He delivered a big closing kick. He’s a horse we’ve always liked a lot, a lot of quality, beautiful horse. It was nice to see him get back under way today.”
Already Grade 1 placed after a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, Social Paranoia is the 16th worldwide Group stakes winner for Darley Australia’s Street Boss.
Led by five Group 1 winners including The Quarterback, Street Boss has sired 39 stakes winners overall. A stalwart at Darley’s Northwood Park, Street Boss has shuttled to Australia 10 of the last 11 years.
Tiz The Law maintains order in Florida Derby
Early Kentucky Derby favourite Tiz The Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) continued his run toward the Kentucky Derby on Saturday when winning his second career Grade 1 in the Florida Derby.
Running wide into the first turn of the 1800 metre race, Tiz The Law settled into a spot just behind the leaders as the field settled. Less than a length behind Ete Indien (USA) (Summer Front {USA}) as the field reached the far turn, Tiz The Law challenged for the lead with 400 metres left.
The battle didn’t last long with the Constitution (USA) colt easily pulling away from the field to win by 4.25l over 80-1 shot Shivaree (USA) (Awesome Of Course {USA}) with Ete Indien third and Constitution’s other two runners fourth and fifth.
While plans are on hold for Tiz The Law’s next start with the Kentucky Derby moved back to September, owner Sackatoga Stable’s Jack Knowlton is thinking big this summer.
“He is something special. It would be a lot of fun going to Kentucky in five weeks, but that’s not happening, obviously,” said Knowlton. “Now we get to run some more races. Maybe the Wood will come back in play. Maybe we can do a Travers-Derby double. Right now it’s a blank slate. Nobody knows what’s going to happen where or when with all that’s going on in the country.”
One of five Graded stakes winners and 12 stakes horses for his second-crop sire, Tiz The Law is a half-brother to Tapit’s (USA) Grade 2-placed Awestruck (USA) and from Grade 2 winner Tizfiz (USA) (Tiznow {USA}). One of three stakes winners for her dam, Tizfiz’s third dam is the dam of US Horse of the Year Favorite Trick (USA) (Phone Trick {USA}).
Swiss Skydiver bolts to Gulfstream Park Oaks win
Going off at 9-1, Swiss Skydiver (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) pulled off a minor upset at Gulfstream Park when racing over 1700 metres in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks for a spot in the Kentucky Oaks.
Swiss Skydiver broke from the gate quickly to take an easy lead with Paco Lopez aboard as she comfortably galloped around the course. The filly looked to have plenty left as they entered the stretch, rebuffing a challenge in the far turn to win by 3.25l over Lucrezia (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
“Paco is what I’d call a lead-forward type of jock. We jumped her out of the gate a few times to get her to leave there a little quicker. That’s kind of his natural style, so I pretty much left it to him,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “It looked to me that nobody went. They kind of gave her away, and shame on them. I didn’t have any doubts she’d get the distance. I think she’s just going to get better with age.”
From the first crop of Grade 1-winning More Than Ready's (USA) son Daredevil (USA), Swiss Skydiver is one of two stakes horses for Expo Gold (USA) (Johannesburg {USA}), who also produced Verrazano’s (USA) Listed-placed Miss Hot Legs (USA).
