Tizbud Proves It Runs in Family

For the first time in his career, Tizbud did something to make his older brothers proud.

Related to multiple stakes winner Budroyale and two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Tiznow, the 4-year-old son of Cee’s Tizzy earned his first stakes victory with a 10-1 surprise in the $250,000 California Cup Classic on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Third as the lukewarm 3-1 favorite in his only other stakes appearance, the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup in January, and a distant fourth as the 6-5 choice in his comeback Oct. 2, Tizbud got his act together against a field weakened by the loss of Sky Jack, the morning-line favorite who was retired Friday.

Owned by the Cees Stable and trained by John Sadler, Tizbud, whose only previous win had come against maidens nearly a year ago, was part of a huge day for jockey Victor Espinoza.

A winner of only two Cal Cup races in 31 previous mounts, Espinoza won four Saturday. Besides Tizbud, he took the $50,000 Handicap with 7-2 shot Fade To Blue, the $150,000 Sprint with Green Team ($13.20) and the $125,000 Juvenile with 5-2 second choice He’s The Rage.

“He was feeling very good today,” Espinoza said after Tizbud beat 12-1 shot Kedington by three lengths in 1:48.08 for the 1 1/8 miles. “I’ve been working this horse since his last race and John was a little worried about running in this race.

“But after his last work (seven furlongs in 1:26 1/5 a week ago), I told John he needed to run the horse. I told him the horse was doing very well and I thought we had a very good chance to win because a mile and an eighth is much better for him.

“We had a very good trip and he was much the best.”

Beaten by nine lengths in his comeback from an absence of nearly 10 months after undergoing surgery for a fracture in his left front shin, Tizbud exited that race with sore feet, prompting some changes by Sadler. He opted to take the colt to the training track to do some of his work and also elected to have Espinoza be aboard for his drills.

“We were very disappointed,” said Sadler, referring to the return effort. “He had trained well and he just didn’t run the way we thought he would.

“He moved forward and we really believe this horse wants to run a mile and an eighth, or even better still, a mile and a quarter.”

Making his first start since he finished third behind Congaree and Kudos in the San Pasqual Handicap on Jan. 4, Hot Market finished sixth as the 7-5 favorite.

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Espinoza wasn’t the only jockey with multiple victories. Julie Krone, Alex Solis and Ryan Fogelsonger each won twice, with the latter producing the day’s biggest surprise.

Fogelsonger guided 25-1 shot Lennyfromalibu to a wire-to-wire victory in the $175,000 Mile, giving trainer Barry Abrams his first California Cup win.

Not expected to make the lead with sprinter Menacing Dennis in the field, Lennyfromalibu was able to get to the front with little effort, slowed things down (23.74, 47.77 and 1:11.50 for six furlongs) and had more than enough left to beat 5-2 second choice Continental Red by two lengths in 1:34.85.

“We tried to rate him last time and that’s not what he wants to do,” said Fogelsonger, who also won the $100,000 Distance Handicap with Moscow Burning. “Barry said for me to let the horse be out there where he wants to be, so that’s what we did.

“He got out there and it felt like he was just in a good, strong gallop. When I said go, he went.”

Krone’s two victories came with 5-1 shot Coconut Mango in the $50,000 Starter Sprint Handicap and favored Blind Ambition in the $150,000 Distaff Handicap.

After riding 19-10 choice Royally Chosen, a dominant winner in the $150,000 Matron Handicap, Solis also won the day’s best race, taking a hard-fought decision with favored House of Fortune in the $125,000 Juvenile Fillies.

Winning her third in a row for owner Arnold Zetcher and trainer Ron McAnally, House of Fortune prevailed after an exciting stretch run over 2-1 second choice Silent Sighs.

The runner-up, who was making only her second start, finished 12 lengths clear of third-place finisher Coke’s Melody.

It’s too bad for Silent Sighs’ connections -- owners Marty and Pam Wygod and trainer Julio Canani -- they didn’t run against males later in the afternoon in the Juvenile.

While the final time for the Juvenile Fillies was 1:42.61, He’s the Rage, the second winner on the card for trainer Jim Cassidy, completed the 1 1/16 miles in the Juvenile in 1:44.65.