Tyler's Tribe Still Undefeated, Looks to Breeders' Cup

Cheers resounded as fan favorite Tyler's Tribe  rocketed home 15 1/2 lengths ahead of the field in the Aug. 27 Prairie Meadows Freshman Stakes to preserve his undefeated record.

Tyler's Tribe does it again! pic.twitter.com/bl5M95TJFd

— Prairie Meadows (@prmracing) August 28, 2022

The 2-year-old Iowa-bred gelding has run all four of his starts (margin: 53 1/4 lengths) at Prairie Meadows for owner/trainer Tim Martin and Tom Lepic. His regular rider is Kylee Jordan, a 20-year-old apprentice who is the leading jockey at the Iowa track. The 1-20 favorite ran 6 furlongs in 1:09.63 Saturday night.  

"There were 120 to 150 people there. That (win) photo was filled up," Martin said. "There was a big crowd. There would have been 30 or 40 more, but Tom said the weather (was predicted to be bad) ... But there was a bunch of fans out there, it was really awesome.

"They were ecstatic, there were tears everywhere, it was crazy. The families of the boys, Kylee's family ... It about made me cry."

The horse is named for Lepic's grandson Tyler, who has battled leukemia in recent years. The son of Sharp Azteca   will be headed toward another stakes race in October. If all goes well, he will make the trek to Kentucky for the Breeders' Cup.

"We've got another race here at Prairie Meadows, it's the Iowa Classic night, and it runs on the first or second of October," Martin said. "It's another for 2-year-olds. We plan on running in that, and if everything is good, then we're wanting to go to the Breeders' Cup.

"I'd like to run him in that 5 1/2 sprint race (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T)); he's a pretty fast horse. I don't know if he'll like the turf, I've seen some Sharp Aztecas that went on the turf, one or two. So that's what we're hoping for."

Martin, who sent in his application for the World Championships Saturday, says that although the gelding has not competed at any other tracks, he does not believe it will present an issue this fall.

"I think he's going to be fine. He worked good up at my training center in Hot Springs, and I always work him down there with an older horse or two before I run him up here. I wasn't trying to kill him; I was trying to get an idea of him. He was just romping the babies, so I put him in with the older horses."

The trainer said he plans to keep Jordan on the mount.

"This horse just has a stride on him. It's crazy. Kylee told me earlier when we were working him that he's just galloping while they're running," Martin said. "He doesn't even try.

"She is a good little rider, she's done well in a lot of races ... She's really good on this horse. She sets him (up) good, I think she's doing a great job.

"I was a little nervous last night that she might be going too fast early, but she knows what she's setting because she always has horse at the end."

Tyler's Tribe, a $30,000 purchase for Martin and Lepic from the Clifton Farm consignment at the 2021 Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association Fall Mixed Sale, increased his earnings to $261,094.

Following the gelding's success, Martin and Lepic have received inquiries from prospective buyers.

"We got some pretty good offers on him, but Tom and I don't want to sell. We're having fun and we're enjoying it but we're not interested," Martin said. "He's a gelding and I understand that, but I think that's one reason he's such a runner and he's so smart. I know that probably hurts him, but I'm not in the breeding business, so it doesn't hurt me.

"It's been pretty special to us. I've never had a horse of this caliber."