Japan Cup Dirt (G1) - Profiles of Tizway

Tizway

Tizway, now the only entry from overseas for the 10th Japan Cup Dirt, must pick up the slack for compatriot Summer Bird, who was forced to pull out after suffering a fracture in his right front leg that will need surgery.

The 4-year-old Tizway is a late bloomer like his old man, Tiznow, the only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic back-to-back in 2000 and 2001 who considered running in the inaugural Japan Cup Dirt a decade ago (it never happened).

Tizway didn't record his first win until his sixth start in June 2008, and it wasn't until he won by eight lengths at Belmont in July this year that trainer H. James Bond decided to test him in a graded race, the 1,800-meter Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, where under Rajiv Maragh the colt came in fourth place, six lengths behind winner Bullsbay.

Tizway took a shot against the big boys on Oct. 3 in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. He set the pace on a muddy Belmont track in the 2,000-meter contest before relinquishing the lead to a pair of 3-year-olds in Quality Road and Summer Bird, who turned it up another notch to come out ahead by a length after a long stretch duel. Tizway crossed the line third six lengths behind Summer Bird.

It remains to be seen where Tizway will take position in the Japan Cup Dirt, with several among the 32 nominations preferring to be on the lead. Yet one thing is certain: Tizway, in his first race outside North America where all the races are run counterclockwise, will have to learn how to run to his right by Sunday. That onus will be on the New York state-based Bond, who has never taken a horse beyond the United States and Canadian border.

At least Tizway will be in the familiar hands of Maragh who has ridden the colt the last five times out. The Jamaican-born 24-year-old is in the midst of a career season, ranking seventh with $11.3 million earned and tied for ninth with 229 victories (as of Nov. 17) alongside Julien Leparoux, who rode Just as Well in the Japan Cup last weekend.

Tizway is owned by William L. Clifton Jr., who is based in Waco, Texas. Clifton, who owns an investment firm in partnership and formerly worked for his family's wholesale drug distribution business, used to race Will's Way with Donald and Anne Rudder's Rudlein Stable.