After 5 crops, Tiznow has become almost exactly the type of sire I had expected – one whose offspring are late blooming, middle-distance loving and can run on anything. When his first crop was just about to hit the track I boldly proclaimed to my fellow thoroughbred racing enthusiasts that he would be “similar to Dynaformer” only with more brilliance. Statistics have borne this out.

With his first crop now 6 years of age, Tiznow has climbed to near the top of the sire list. We had fully expected this especially this year when his “Folklore effect” foals reached racing age.  Folklore, Tiznow’s first champion and winner of the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies,  made Tiznow the #1 Freshman Sire, causing his breeding popularity to soar (from a 50ish crop to over 100) in the 2006 season.  Thus far this year, Tiznow’s late blooming tendency continues, as he has had only 4 juvenile winners – all coming from August onwards.  The Folklores and Tiz Wonderfuls appear to be the exception rather than the rule.

But while those who expect their Tiznow foals to win first out may meet with some disappointment, the patient breeders are rewarded.  Both Bullsbay and Informed – full horses at 5 – became multiple graded stakes winners in 2009.  Well Armed, already a stakes winner last year at 5, became a Group 1 winner at the classic distance of 10 F, winning the Dubai World Cup.   Tizfiz, like Bullsbay and Informed a member of the class of 2004, has taken home 2 prizes on the turf this year.  Tiznow’s ability to sire versatile runners excelling at all distances seems to know no bounds – his stakes winners have won from 6 F to 12 F on all 3 surfaces; Colonel John, now a 4 year old, holds the distinction of having won stakes on turf, synthetic and dirt.

After watching hundreds of his offspring  run over the last 5 years, there have been idiosyncrasies and running styles of  every kind, but a few quirks stand out.  Tiznows tend to lack focus when rounding a turn into the stretch.  I find myself cringing and barely able to watch Tiznow first-timers on the lead going into the stretch;  you’ll find me yelling, “Keep him straight!” at the jockey.  As a two and three year old, Colonel  John was slow in changing leads – another Tiznow tendency. His sons and daughters tend to be pacesetters, taking a few starts before learning how to rate, if they learn at all. Anyone remember Tizthen, the 2 year old filly who placed in the Anokia  Stakes some years back?  Her rank behavior made her a terror on the track.  And then there is Mr Hot Stuff, who, while possessing a world of talent, can’t seem to find focus at all (though blinkers and a jockey change helped him place in his last start). With maturity and added distance, he could become an outstanding handicap horse. One lives in hope.

Trainers Don’t Let Your (Tiznow) Babies Grow Up to Race at Gulfstream

While the future is big for Tiznow as the sire destined to carry on the Man O’War sire line, one thing holds true: his children absolutely detest Gulfstream.  So trainers, think about this before dragging your horses there. Only 2 Tiznows in my memory have won there – Kalium, a low level claimer, and Capricious, who broke her maiden there in 2007.  I kid you not.  Yes, we know Tizbig and Bullsbay were stakes placed at Gulfstream, but ask Bullsbay what happened during the Donn. ‘Nuff said.

Good luck to all the Tiznows entered in the upcoming Road-to-the-BC-Classic races – the Woodward (featuring Tizway, Bullsbay and Da’ Tara) and the Pacific Classic (with Informed and Colonel John).