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Tizzy in the Sky plenty the best in $150K Ladies

by Christian Abdo

KimDon Racing’s Tizzy in the Sky earned her sixth career victory, all over the Big A main track, when taking Saturday’s $150,000 Ladies, a nine-furlong test for older fillies and mares, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 6-year-old Sky Kingdom dark bay entered from a stalking score under Flavien Prat in the one-mile Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 7 here. It was more of the same on Saturday, a stalk-and-pounce victory, this time with Kendrick Carmouche in the irons.

“She's a very talented filly,” said Stu Hampson, Pletcher’s New York-based assistant. “She's shown a great affinity for this track, and she seems to have matured as she's gotten older. She's shown a new dimension in being able to relax and to rate - she's proven to be versatile and a hard trier.”

Tizzy in the Sky exited the inside post cleanly under Carmouche, the pilot of her pacesetting nine-length Listed Top Flight Invitational romp in April here. She was sharp out of the gate once again, but this time stalked Comparative who was hard sent by Manny Franco to take command through an opening quarter-mile in 24.74 seconds on the fast dirt.

“Todd said be aggressive at the beginning and see if we could break good and get out of there,” Carmouche said. “Manny wanted it just as much as I wanted it. I know my filly could have come off the pace. After that, she was just home from there. I thought a sprint home, ain’t nobody could catch her home.”

Comparative, the defending Ladies winner, led through the first turn with Tizzy in the Sky stalking within a half-length and fellow Pletcher trainee Julia Shining to her outside in third and Evidencias traveling along the inside through a tepid half-mile in 51.07.

Tizzy in the Sky could wait no longer in the far turn, drawing alongside Comparative after three-quarters in 1:16.12 and quickly going by. Carmouche peeked back to see the Dylan Davis-piloted Julia Shining giving chase as Tizzy in the Sky’s lead widened approaching the top of the lane.

Tizzy in the Sky built a three-length cushion over Julia Shining and had plenty left following one-mile in 1:40.08, and while kept to task by Carmouche, that would be her margin of victory for a Pletcher exacta in a final time of 1:52.56.

Julia Shining was three-quarter-lengths better than Comparative, who put a head in front of Evidencias for third. Just Music was scratched.

Pletcher notched a record fifth Ladies win, after past scores with Falconet [2023], Thankful [2021], Bellera [2020] and Teen Pauline [2014].

Carmouche said he was confident that Tizzy in the Sky’s class would prevail.

“I thought I was on the best horse going the distance, and I just rode her like it – don’t get in a speed duel, you can still just sit and be patient and win the race,” said Carmouche.

Davis said a faster pace would have benefited the Grade 1-placed Julia Shining, a full sister to Pletcher’s 2021-22 dual Champion Malathaat.

“She ran great. The pace compromised me here with the small field,” said Davis. “She broke well and I was able to get there, but Kendrick was able to get out there early and I wasn’t able to get him in a tough situation there. She ran well and finished good, nice and even.”

Hampson agreed about the pace dynamics for Julia Shining, who closed to win the 2022 Grade 2 Demoiselle here. She also narrowed the gap late for third in the 2023 Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

"From a pace scenario, it probably wasn't ideal for Julia Shining. Every once in a while, you end up with a race where, on paper, it's paceless but they end up going fast anyway - today, that certainly wasn't the case,” said Hampson. “She broke way sharper and put herself in the race. We were hoping to be closer, which we were, but unfortunately everyone would have needed to tick along a little bit faster for her to put her best foot forward.”

Bred in Kentucky by Westrock Stables, Tizzy in the Sky is out of the winning Tiznow mare Tiz the Tide. Her third dam, Sweet Damsel, produced dual Grade 1-winner Colonel John and dual Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Mr. Hot Stuff. She banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 14-6-4-0 and returning $3.30 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack with an eight-race card. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.