Tizway, a leading contender for Horse of the Year coming off dominating victories in the Grade 1 Metropolitan and Whitney handicaps, has been retired after suffering a suspensory injury Tuesday morning.
The 5-year-old son of Tiznow was looking to clinch top honors with a victory in the Nov. 5 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, a race his sire won back-to-back in 2000-01.
“He galloped over the track very well this morning,” trainer Jim Bond said. “We put him on ice for an hour like we usually do, but he showed some swelling and heat. We called the vets and they saw a bruise and did an ultrasound. They found a diffused lesion in the suspensory branch of his left front leg. It’s like the rope that holds the knee and ankle together.
“The safe thing to do is retire him. The doctors said it was borderline, but I am not going to take a chance with a stud career in front of him. He galloped a mile this morning and looked great. The track was perfect. It was just bad luck. It’s sad because I wanted him to have the chance to prove to everyone that he was the best horse in the world.
“Watching Tizway’s wins in the Met Mile and Whitney gives me goosebumps, and the only horse that had ever done that to me before was Secretariat,” Bond said. “I can’t believe that I trained this horse, because he is amazing.”
Tizway’s jockey Rajiv Maragh, said, “He is the most accomplished horse I have ever ridden. His record speaks for itself. He has three or four big wins that can match up to some of the greatest horses that have ever raced in New York. His Met Mile performance was amazing. His Whitney and Kelso were amazing. His best race is as good as any horse that I have ever sat on.”
Tizway retires to stud at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky with a record of seven wins, a second and five thrids from 20 starts and career earnings of $1,359,274.