Tiago Reels In Goodwood Handicap
Mike Smith Piloted Colt Earns Ticket to Breeders' Cup Classic
As Tiago triumphed at the Goodwood Handicap September 29, jockey Mike Smith claimed the best is yet to come; perhaps in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
A winner at the Santa Anita Derby in April, Tiago had an uneventful Triple Crown run, but then ran lights out at Hollywood Park in the July $368,250 Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes for another victory. He topped that Sept. 29 in besting Awesome Gem by a nose in the $500,000 Goodwood Handicap on Santa Anita Park's all-weather Cushion Track.
Tested, beaten, recouped, and ready to rumble again, Tiago has earned his ticket to the 2007 Breeders' Cup World Championships scheduled for Monmouth Park, New Jersey on October 26th and 27th. Tiago will take on high company in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Also tentatively entered are Curlin, Preakness Stakes champion; Steet Sense, Kentucky Derby champ; Any Given Saturday, recent 3-time handicap race winner; and Lawyer Ron, the blitzing four-year-old.
Against part of this company in June in the Belmont Stakes, Tiago made a lasting impression as he finished third.
When Tiago "gets good," jockey Mike Smith shouted after the Goodwood triumph, the sky's the limit. He similarly expressed his opinion of Giacomo's half brother after the huge upset win at Santa Anita in April. Giacomo upset the 2005 Kentucky Derby field with a 50-1 shot victory.
Against seven others in the Goodwood field, Tiago had to make his own room, Smith said, as traffic was crowded at the start. Once past the slow-down, Tiago paced well for Smith, coolly following from the fourth spot the hot trot of Wanna Runner's first quarter in :22.79. Tiago powered past A.P. Xcellent and Lewis Michael through the turn as the leaders began to fade.
Awesome Gem challenged, and the stretch duel found Smith and Tiago all out for the win in 1:46.93 for the 1-1/8 miles. Tiago's nose hit the wire first, a familiar winning distance this season among the top three-year-olds.
Tiago improved his career totals to four wins in eight starts with earnings of $1,115,270. His trainer is John Shirreffs.
Smith's win aboard Tiago in July at Hollywood Park was termed "A Hall of Fame ride by a Hall of Fame rider" by Television Games Network analyst Gary Stevens, himself a Hall of Fame jockey. In that race, the Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes, Tiago rated just off the pace set by Desert Code in the first six furlongs.
Heading into the stretch, Smith pointed Tiago toward the rail for an opening, and the colt responded beautifully to gain position for a huge move past Desert Code and Souvenir Slew for a 2-1/2 length victory over the 1-1/8 miles in time of 1:48.76.
Tiago is owned by Jerry and Ann Moss.
