Two-time KY Downs winner Tiztastic takes $1M Louisiana Derby
Fair Grounds stakes recap (Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir photo of Tiztastic winning the Louisiana Derby under Joel Rosario)
New Orleans, La (March 22, 2025) – Rallying from well off the pace, Tiztastic proved unstoppable down the stretch in the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, Tiztastic won by 2 1/4 lengths over Chunk of Gold, adding 100 points for a new total of 119, qualifying him for the 151st Kentucky Derby.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Tiztastic covered the 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.20 under jockey Joel Rosario. The trainer and jockey combo teamed up to win the 2022 Louisiana Derby with Epicenter. Asmussen has now won five local derbies, trying Todd Pletcher for the record.
“We thought he’d run bigger in the (Rebel),” Asmussen said. “Since he didn’t run his race and he had trained so well here, we brought him back here, knowing he needed more distance. He’s stepping forward when he needs to. The horse has got a great mind about him. He ran a solid race but I think there’s more in him.”
Both Tiztastic and Chunk of Gold are Kentucky-based horses. Tiztastic, after debuting at Saratoga, won two races on the Kentucky Downs turf last fall: a $250,000 allowance race for horses who went through the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and then the $2 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile. He then returned to dirt with a second in Churchill Downs’ Street Sense and a third in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club. He started his 3-year-old season with a third in Oaklawn Park’s G3 Southwest and a fifth in the G2 Rebel.
The Ethan West-trained Chunk of Gold is based at Turfway Park, where he won his debut and was second in the Leonatus before he shipped to New Orleans for a second place in the Risen Star, returning for the Fair Grounds’ signature race.
Tiztastic got away clean and settled along the rail as John Hancock got the jump on the field, leading his nine foes through hot opening fractions of :22.99 and :46.84. As Yinzer and Furio prompted the pace, Built and Chunk of Gold tracked the leaders waiting to make their forward move. Tiztastic began to advance up the backside and in the far turn began to build momentum. Built took the lead at the top of the stretch but soon began to tire as Chunk of Gold shot forward for the brief lead. After swinging four wide out of the turn, Tiztastic rallied past Chunk of Gold and with a furlong to go was in the clear.
Chunk of Gold finished strong for second, earning 50 points for a new total of 75, ensuring a spot in the Derby. Instant Replay flew from last for third, scoring his first 25 qualifying points. John Hancock battled back to finish fourth, adding 15 for a new total of 35. Built scored 10 points for running fifth and now has 45 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
“He was a lot closer in this race than he ever has been,” West said. “Jareth (Loveberry) said he was a lot more aggressive early on the front side here and he was trying to get covered up behind John Hancock. He said down the backside he took a big breath and relaxed and he said he was tired but rightfully so. Jareth put a beautiful ride on him he was just – we talked about it was picture perfect.”
Sent off at 7-1, Tiztastic returned $17.00, $7.20, and $4.40. Chunk Of Gold paid $8.40 and $5.20. Instant Replay paid $5.20.
Bred by Capital Bloodstock in Kentucky, Tiztastic is by Tiz the Law and out of the Tapit mare Keesha. With a career record of 8-3-1-2, Tiztastic’s career earnings skyrocketed to $1,549,800.
Instant Replay finished third and 9-5 favorite John Hancock, winner of the Tampa Bay Downs’ Sam Davis, finished fourth. Both are trained by Louisville’s Brad Cox, who in absentia won Turfway Park’s $777,000, Grade 3 with Juddmonte Farms’ Final Gambit, who came into the Derby qualifier off a maiden victory.
“They’re not going to get in (to the Derby),” Cox said of his Louisiana Derby horses. “I don’t think we’ll try to take another swing (in a prep race). John Hancock didn’t run as well as I hoped and expected. Instant Replay ran well–there was enough pace for him. We’ll regroup on them both and figure out next steps.”
