Tizway to miss the Jockey Club Gold Cup due to a virus which has now subsequently subsided
The favourite to win the Grade 1 $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, 6-year-old Tizway, has unfortunately come down with a fever and is expected to miss the race. The 6-year-old felt lethargic and feverish on 21st September, according to trainer James Bond.
When the multiple grade 1 winner came down with the fever, he was forced to miss out the scheduled workout session on 23rd September at Saratoga.
Although the fever has subsided, trainer James Bond is taking precautions and not pushing him to participate in the 1st October race at Belmont Park.
The son of Tiznow, out of Bethany by Dayjur, Tizway will now overlook everything else and train for the Grade 1 $5million Breeders’ Cup Classic on 5 November, 2011, at Churchill Downs.
The 6-year-old William Clifton Jr. owned horse was coming off two consecutive grade 1 wins.
Starting off with the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap (Met Mile) on 30 May, 2011, and then later winning the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on 6 August, 2011.
At Belmont Park, Tizway, under jockey Rajiv Maragh, covered one mile in 1 minute and 32.90 seconds, defeating Rodman and Caixa Eletronica to win the Grade 1 Met Mile.
Rajiv Maragh, who has ridden the horse in all of his starts so far, guided Tizway to the most important race of his season, the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga.
The 1 1/8 mile dirt race had a formidable cast, as Tizway downed the likes of Flat Out and Giant Oak to win the race in 1 minute and 52.43 seconds.
In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, now that one of the protagonists has been scratched, the usual favourites to win the race would be the Grade 1 Travers Stakes' winner, Stay Thirsty, and Whitney Handicap's runnerp-up, Flat Out.
The probable runners to make an impact on the race could be A.U Miner, Ice Box and Drosselmeyer.
It is really a shame that this virus came along at this time. Tizway could’ve made the race interesting, and this race was very much needed, going in to the Breeders’ Cup.
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