Aqueduct: Tizzy in the Sky defeats small field in Ladies Stakes

Tizzy in the Sky earned her sixth career victory, all over the Big A main track, when taking Saturday’s $150,000 Ladies Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile test that included only four older fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

Owned by KimDon Racing and 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 Dec. 7 at Aqueduct. It was more of the same Saturday, a stalk-and-pounce victory, this time with Kendrick Carmouche in the irons.

Click here for Aqueduct entries and results.

“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 at Aqueduct. She was sharp out of the gate once again. This time she 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. Fellow Pletcher trainee Julia Shining was to her outside in third, and Evidencias traveled 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 of a mile in 1:16.12 and quickly going by. Carmouche peeked back to see 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. While kept to task by Carmouche, she would maintain that margin to lead a Pletcher exacta with a final time of 1:52.56.

Julia Shining was three-quarters of a length 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 in 2023, Thankful in 2021, Bellera in 2020 and Teen Pauline in 2014. 

Carmouche said he was confident 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,” Carmouche said. “Don’t get in a speed duel. You can still just sit and be patient and win the race.”

Davis said a faster pace would have benefited Grade 1-placed Julia Shining, a full sister to Pletcher’s 2021 and 2022 dual champion Malathaat.

“She ran great. The pace compromised me here with the small field,” Davis said. “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 Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct. She also narrowed the gap late for third in the 2023 Ashland (G1) 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,” Hampson said. “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 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.