Unburdened Tiz Tok dangerous for Thunderbird

AFTER KICKING himself for an unwarranted change of equipment in the July 26 She’s A Maneater Trophy, TIZ TOK’s worst performance in six starts, title-chasing trainer Anthony Nunes has flung the blinkers far away from the United States-bred horse for Saturday’s Thunderbird at seven furlongs.

Among the Florida invaders who debuted in last December’s US$250,000 Mouttet Mile, five-year-old TIZ TOK finished fifth behind fellow Americans FUNCAANDUN, LEGACY ISLE and COMMANDANT, beaten by just four and three-quarter lengths with Shane Ellis aboard.

Dropping from grade-one to overnight allowance for his next run, TIZ TOK (Tiznow-Weekend Prospect), a three-time claiming winner at Santa Anita and once at Los Alamitos, made light work of DIVINE FORCE and D HEAD CORNERSTONE at a mile, clocking 1:39.0 on his 2025 debut, February 23.

Having announced himself as a grade-one runner from the Mouttet Mile, TIZ TOK next placed fourth in the Ian Levy behind stablemate BARNABY, ATOMICA and FUNCAANDUN on April 5 at eight and a half furlongs.

A third-place run behind COMMANDANT and ATOMICA followed, May 17, after which TIZ TOK closed with a late burst at seven furlongs to overhaul DIGITAL ONE and WALL STREET TRADER in 1:25,1, running into a strong headwind at seven furlongs.

Somehow, Nunes thought TIZ TOK needed blinkers for his following assignment, the She’s A Maneater, resulting in an 11-length loss, clocking a slow 1:42.2 behind winner FUNCAANDUN’s 1:40.0.

Having realised the folly, Nunes has not only discarded the blinkers, but also pulled for the oldest trick in the book, a claiming rider, Tyrese Anderson, similar to using Romario Spencer astride textbook-winner SUPREMASI in the O & S Tack Room on August 30.

Anderson’s claim takes TIZ TOK down to 119lb from joint topweight 126 with MAHOGANY and Jason DaCosta’s pair of GIRVANO and IS THAT A FACT, fellow Americans gunning for Nunes’ runner in a stakes war between the top two barns.

DaCosta has inserted MAMMA MIA, his road-running rabbit, to set fast fractions with 110lb, hoping TIZ TOK will be drawn off his bridle early.

However, SUPERNATURAL POWER and MAHOGANY will keep MAMMA MIA busy enough to cause a pace collapse, which should benefit the lightest closer, TIZ TOK.