Multiple Stakes Winner Tizdejavu Remains Perfect At Churchill Downs with Win in Sunday Turf Feature

May 18, 2009 By John Asher

Multiple stakes winner Tizdejavu remained unbeaten on the grass course at Churchill Downs when he returned from a nine-month absence from competition to win Sunday’s $57,780 featured allowance race at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, the leading jockey of the Churchill Downs Spring Meet, the 4-year-old son of Tiznow rallied from just off the pace and then held off the late charge of Jazz in the Park to win by three-quarters of a length.  

The favored Tizdejavu, winner of the Grade II Jefferson Cup and Grade III Crown Royal American Turf at Churchill Downs and the Grade II American Derby at Arlington Park in 2008, paid $4.20, $3 and $2.40 as the strong favorite in a field on seven 3-year-olds and up.  Jazz in the Park, ridden by Calvin Borel, paid $3.40 and $2.80.  Boss Lafitte, who was three lengths farther back under Robby Albarado, edged Corrupt by a nose for third and paid $4.40 to show.

The winner covered 1 1/16 miles on “firm” turf in 1:42.93.

Tizdejava, who is owned by Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth and trained by Greg Fox, won for the fifth time in nine career races.  He is perfect in three starts over the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs and Sunday’s victory boosted his career earnings to $494,307.

The victory was the second of the day for Leparoux, who returned to Churchill Downs after riding on Friday and Saturday in Preakness Weekend races at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.  Leparoux’s Sunday riding double increased his victory total in the Spring Meet to 24 and he now leads second-place Miguel Mena by six wins.

There will be no racing at Churchill Downs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 19-21.  The Spring Meet at the historic home of the Kentucky Derby resumes on Thursday, May 21 with the first of five consecutive racing sessions that include a special Memorial Day holiday program on Monday, May 25.