Tizway retired to Spendthrift

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Elmont, NY (Sports Network) - Any chance of leading older horse Tizway winning this year's Breeders' Cup Classic has been dashed due to an injury. The six- year-old was found to have a leg injury after galloping Tuesday morning.

"He galloped over the track very well this morning," trainer Jim Bond said Tuesday. "We put him on ice for an hour like we usually do, but he showed some swelling and heat. We called the vets and they saw a bruise and did an ultrasound. They found a diffused lesion in the suspensory branch of his left front leg. It's like the rope that holds the knee and ankle together."

On Monday Tizway was pre-entered for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, November 5 at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/4-mile race would have been the six-year-old's final start.

"The safe thing to do is retire him," said Bond. "The doctors said it was borderline, but I am not going to take a chance with a stud career in front of him. He galloped a mile this morning and looked great. The track was perfect. It was just bad luck. It's sad because I wanted him to have the chance to prove to everyone that he was the best horse in the world."

Owned by William Clifton, Tizway will be sent to Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, KY.

This year was easily Tizway's most impressive campaign. He earned $876,000 in four starts with wins in the Met Mile and Whitney Handicap. However, he spiked a fever that kept him from some training in September preventing him from starting in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 1 at Belmont Park. He was third in both the Charles Town Classic and Gulfstream Park Handicap.

"If you asked me before the Whitney, I would have said Will's Way," said Bond on the best horse he ever trained. "But watching Tizway's wins in the Met Mile and Whitney gives me goosebumps, and the only horse that had ever done that to me before was Secretariat. Tizway has the jump on Will's Way because of how quick he is. I can't believe that I trained this horse, because he is amazing."

He finishes his career with lifetime winnings of $1,359,274 in 20 starts and seven victories. Over the last several weeks Tizway has been second in voting behind Havre de Grace in the NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll.