Slew’s Tiz Whiz (No. 8) rallies past Papa’s Golden Boy

SLEW’S TIZ WHIZ POSTS GOVERNOR’S UPSET,
SWEEP FOR ZUNINO, WENZEL, KD THOROUGHBREDS

AUBURN, Wash. (July 24, 2022) – Slew’s Tiz Whiz collared Papa’s Golden Boy in the final strides and drew clear for a 2 ½-length victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Governor’s Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Emerald Downs, which serves as the final local prep for next month’s $150,000 Longacres Mile.

Ridden perfectly by Jose Zunino at 120 lbs, Slew’s Tiz Whiz ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:14.73 and returned $20.40 to his scattered backers in Sunday’s Corgi Day throng. Tom Wenzel is the winning trainer for owner/breeder K D Thoroughbreds (Darlyne Krieg) of Oak Harbor, Wash., capping a mammoth day for the jockey, trainer, and owner, who also won Sunday’s $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes for fillies and mares with homebred Dontkissntell.

In sixth place and some 10 lengths behind Papa’s Golden Boy at the quarter-pole, Slew’s Tiz Whiz rallied in the middle of the racetrack, finally catching Papa’s Golden Boy in the shadow of the wire for the victory.

“We got a little help up front today,” Wenzel said, alluding to an early duel that might have helped soften Papa’s Golden Boy in the stretch. “Slew’s Tiz Whiz keeps improving. He’s a fun horse to train because he tries so hard.”

A 4-year-old Washington-bred gelding by Slew’s Tiznow from Ros’s Girl, Slew’s Tiz Whiz has won two straight and improved to 5-1-1 in 12 career starts with $88,207 in earnings, including $27,500 for the Governor’s score. He also stamps himself a contender for the Longacres Mile on Sunday, Aug. 14.

Although the Governor’s is his first stakes win, Slew’s Tiz Whiz was stakws-placed around two turns as a 3-year-old, finishing third in the Muckleshoot Derby.

Papa’s Golden Boy, the defending Governor’s Stakes champion bidding for his fourth stakes win overall, shook off Windribbon into the lane, was two lengths clear past mid-stretch, but couldn’t withstand Slew’s Tiz Whiz from over the top. The 3 to 5 favorite ridden by Kevin Radke at 124 lbs., Papa’s Golden Boy held second by a nose over Spittin Image and paid $2.60 and $2.60. Breaking from the No. 9 post, Papa’s Golden Boy set pressured splits of :21.84, :43.72, and 1:08.29.

Spittin Image, a 16 to 1 longshot ridden by Juan Gutierrez with 121 lbs., finished third and paid $6.40, while Five Star General was a neck back in fourth. Fantastic Day, Kingmeister, House of Lords, Windribbon, and Heredia Boxer rounded out the complete order of finish.

Dontkissntell (No. 6) edges You Go Girl

DONTKISSNTELL PREVAILS IN LEGISLATORS’ THRILLER

In the $50,000 Washington State Legislators Stakes for older fillies and mares, Dontkissntell scored a head victory over a resilient You Go Girl in a driving finish.

With Zunino aboard at 120 lbs., Dontkissntell covered 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.65 and paid $3.80 as the betting favorite. Wenzel, saddling his record fourth winner in the Washington State Legislators, is the winning trainer for owner K D Thoroughbreds (Darlyne Krieg) of Oak Harbor, Wash.), and the victory set the stage for a stakes sweep later on the card.

Rallying four deep into the stretch, Dontkissntell gradually wore down You Go Girl in the final yards to score a narrow victory. Although a top older filly or mare the last few seasons at Emerald Downs, Dontkissntell had lost her previous 11 stakes starts dating to a victory in the 2018 Washington Cup Sophomore Fillies Stakes.

“But she always runs hard to the wire,” Zunino said of Dontkissntell. ”She ran great today.”

A 7-year-old British Columbia-bred by Rosberg, Dontkissntell earned $27,500 and lifted her career total to $182,664. Her overall record is 5-8-6 from 29 starts.

You Go Girl, the 9 to 2 third choice ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 121 lbs, set fractions of :22.61, :45.37, and 1:09.23, digging in gamely when headed by Dontkissntell in the late stages.

Lets Declare Peace, the 9 to 5 second choice ridden by Kevin Orozco at 121 lbs., was 2 ½ lengths back in third place, while Unlimiteddataplan, and Ms Lynn rounded out the order of finish.

Even-money morning line favorite Blazingbellablu was scratched earlier in the day.

The $75,000 Emerald Distaff at 1 1/16 miles is next for older fillies and mares on Sunday, August 14.

NOTES: Total mutuel handle was $1,825,178 on a nine-race card. . .With two stakes wins Sunday, Wenzel now ranks seventh all-time with 45 Emerald Downs’ stakes wins. . .Zunino has 12 Emerald Downs stakes wins. . .Juan Gutierrez rode three winners Sunday while Zunino and Kevin Radke rode two winners each. . .Alex Cruz had one win and tops the standings with 56 wins in 29 days, followed by Radke with 45 wins and Gutierrez with 42. . .Jorge Rosales leads the trainers’ standings with 21 wins. . .Blaine Wright celebrates his 48th birthday Monday and produced a one-two finish with Stonus Maximus ($6) and Balius in Sunday’s seventh race. . .The $0.20 Jackpot Pick 6 carryover is $27,949. . .Live racing resumes Friday with first post 7 p.m.

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