Tizamagician Shows Liking for Distance in Cougar II
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Tizamagician wins the Cougar II Stakes at Del Mar
MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Tizamagician has taken a liking to the extended distance of 1 1/2 miles. From four races at the trip, the 4-year-old Tiznow colt has won twice and been second the other two times, most recently taking the $100,500 Cougar II Stakes (G3) July 18 at Del Mar.
"He likes to run all day. I think Flavien (Prat) even had trouble pulling him up after all that," said trainer Richard Mandella. "He's figuring things out and he really likes the long distance. He's improving my training."
Sent off the heavy 1-5 favorite, Tizamagician was settled in second by Flavien Prat and stalked the pace of Heywoods Beach through fractions of :25.88, :50.04, 1:14.79, and 1:40.67. The pacesetter lost his lead after passing the half-mile pole and Tizamagician took over in the stretch. Cupid's Claws , who had raced in third, chased after the new leader but could not catch Tizamagician, who put the rival away to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Final time on the fast main track was 2:31.45. Tizamagician returned $2.60 on a $2 win ticket.
"He broke well today. The thing with him is to get him to relax. He did that pretty well," Prat said. "At the three-eighths (pole) I began to ride him and he responded. It's always good to win a race for Mr. Mandella. That's special. He was the man that brought me over here (from France) and it's good when I can win one for him."
Cupid's Claws finished second 5 1/4 lengths ahead of Heywoods Beach in third. Campaign and Red King completed the order of finish.
Contagion raced in fourth early but sustained an injury near the seven-sixteenths pole and was vanned off, according to the race chart. Later Sunday night, Del Mar announced on Twitter that "Contagion pulled up and walked onto the van after the Cougar II Stakes, the horse is back at the barn and resting comfortably."
Tizamagician holds a 5-7-0 record from 18 career starts and has earned $427,851. Previously at 12 furlongs, he won the April 18 Tokyo City Cup (G3) at Santa Anita Park—a race in which he was second to Cupid's Claws in 2020—and finished second in the June 5 Brooklyn Stakes Presented by Northwell Health (G2) at Belmont Park.
Regarding the next race, Mandella said: "We'll size it up. There may be one down here and there's a really nice marathon during the Breeders' Cup. That's what we're really looking for."
Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Tizamagician was a $150,000 purchase by Spendthrift from his breeder's consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in New York, in 2018.
The dark bay or brown colt is the second foal produced from the grade 2-placed Dixie Union mare Magic Union , whose 3-year-old Quality Road colt Avenue broke his maiden in April at Keeneland. Magic Union is also dam of Exact Estimate, an unraced 2-year-old Into Mischief colt. The mare was purchased by Woodford for $300,000 from Gainesway's consignment to the 2015 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.