Tiz the Bomb

7) TIZ THE BOMB (c, Hit It a Bomb–Tiz the Key, by Tiznow) O-Magdalena Racing, Lessee. B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY). T-Kenneth McPeek. Sales History: $330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 8-5-1-0, $1,044,401. Last Start: 1st GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks. KY Derby Points: 110. Post 9, 30-1.

There's plenty of upside to this $330,000 FTKSEL colt by Hit It a Bomb if you're willing to avoid getting hung up on the overblown “he won't handle dirt” argument. A deep (by modern standards) foundation of eight races, plenty of experience negotiating large fields (Tiz has won grass and Tapeta stakes in fields numbering 10, 12 and 14 horses), and a knack for (almost) always gaining ground in the final furlong are all in his favor.

The glaring lone exception was a seventh-place try, beaten 20 1/4 lengths, in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5 over the Gulfstream dirt. But that was a kickback-eating try off a three-month layoff against a talented field that subsequently produced four next-out stakes winners (including Tiz himself). His versatile running style should set up pace-pressing positioning, as trainer Kenny McPeek has indicated he'd like this colt a little closer to the front-end action from post nine.