Tiz a Slam goes the distance in Woodbine's Singspiel

Tiz a Slam led throughout in Saturday’s Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes as the odds-on favorite, giving trainer Roger Attfield his eighth victory in just 15 runnings of the 1-1/2-mile turf race at Woodbine.

“It looked like there was no speed to contend with, and that’s how he likes to do it,” said jockey Steven Bahen, who recorded his second stakes victory of the meeting after capturing the Woodbine Oaks aboard Queen’s Plate-bound Desert Ride.

“When he gets those easy fractions, he’s very tough down the lane.”

The pace indeed was pedestrian as Tiz a Slam led the field of five through a :26.92 opening quarter with the half in :53.52, three-quarters in 1:18.57 and the mile in 1:42.76.

Ami’s Mesa tracked the leader throughout and held for second, as the 1 1/4 miles went by in 2:06.21. Tiz a Slam stopped the clock in 2:29.99 over a “good” turf course.

Sir Sahib trailed until the final turn and loomed a serious threat before flattening out in the latter stages to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up as the 5-1 third pick.

Itstartswithadrink, the longest shot in the field at 40-1, finished fourth in the field of five. Melmich, the second choice at 2-1, bled in the race and was pulled up.

Tiz a Slam, a homebred 5-year-old son of Tiznow who races for Chiefswood Stable, was recording his sixth career stakes victory and his second Grade 3 in succession after winning the Louisville over 1 1/2 miles of turf at Churchill Downs with Bahen aboard. Last year, Bahen guided Tiz a Slam to wins in Woodbine’s Grade 3 Dominion Day at 1 1/4 miles on the Tapeta and Grade 2 Nijinsky at 1 1/2 miles on the grass.

“He’s very versatile,” said Bahen.

The winner returned $3.30 and $2.30 and keyed a 1-2 exacta with 12-1 Avie’s Mesa ($5.70) which was worth $25.70. Sir Sahib completed a 1-2-3 trifecta worth $32.85 for a $1 ticket and Itstartswithadrink rounded out the 1-2-3-4 superfecta of $128.65. There was no show wagering.