Solid Wager heads wide open field of seven in Tiznow

Trainer Peter Miller’s recent graded stakes winning Solid Wager heads a wide open field of seven in Sunday’s $100,000 Tiznow Stakes at Santa Anita. For older horses bred or sired in California, the Tiznow, which is part of the lucrative Golden State Series, will be contested at a flat mile. Steve Miyadi’s Grazen Sky and Ron Ellis’ Magic Mark are among several who also figure prominently in Sunday’s main event.

Named for one of the greatest California-breds of all time, the Cee Straub-Rubens homebred Hall of Famer Tiznow, a foal of 1997, was a two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Horse of the Year in 2000 and was a three-time Eclipse Award winner who retired with earnings of $6,427,830.

SOLID WAGER: A 1 ¼ length dead heat winner of the Grade III Midnight Lute over a sloppy track two starts back on Dec. 31, this 6-year-old Birdonthewire gelding comes off a fifth place finish here in the six furlong California Cup Sprint on Jan. 28. A dedicated closer at any distance, he would benefit greatly should there be a fast pace going one mile—a distance that he’s winless at in 10 attempts. Owned by Gary and Cecil Barber and Stanford Stable, Solid Wager is 32-8-3-4 overall with earnings of $472,921. He’ll be reunited with Victor Espinoza, who piloted him to back to back wins in the seven furlong Cary Grant Stakes three starts back on Nov. 20, and the aforementioned Midnight Lute.

GRAZEN SKY: Idle since running a close second to Solid Wager in the Cary Grant Stakes on Nov. 20 at Del Mar, this Nick Alexander homebred enters the Tiznow fresh and dangerous as he seeks his second career stakes win. A good third three starts back in the one mile Harry F. Brubaker on Aug. 24, he’s 7-1-3-1 at the Tiznow distance and is another who would benefit from a hot early pace. A 5-year-old horse by Grazen, he is 19-4-8-4 overall with earnings of $392,638.

MAGIC MARK: Owned by his breeders, John and Dorine Lanza, Magic Mark’s last win came four starts back at Del Mar in the one mile Harry F. Brubaker Stakes on Aug. 24. A gate to wire winner of the Brubaker, Magic Mark’s best races have come when he’s on or pressing the early pace. With four wins from eight tries at the Tiznow distance, he’s 19-6-1-3 overall and will be ridden by Joe Talamo, who although he hasn’t ridden the veteran gelding since February, 2015, has guided him to four career wins.

THE $100,000 TIZNOW STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 - Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1.  Indygo Holiday—Martin Pedroza – 120

2.  Magic Mark—Joe Talamo—122

3.  Patriots Rule—Israel Ocampo—122

4.  Solid Wager—Victor Espinoza—120

5.  Acceptance—Stewart Elliott—120

6.  Grazen Sky—Tyler Baze—120

7.  Avanti Bello—Flavien Prat – 122