Tiago (horse)

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Tiago


caption = Tiago and jockey Mike E. Smith after winning the 2007 Goodwood Handicap.
sire = Pleasant Tap
grandsire = Pleasant Colony
dam = Set Them Free
damsire = Stop The Music
sex = Stallion
foaled = 2004
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Dark Bay
breeder = Jerome & Ann Moss
owner = Jerome & Ann Moss
trainer = John Shirreffs
record = 13: 4-1-3
earnings = $1,384,270
race = Santa Anita Derby (2007)
Swaps Stakes (2007)
Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap (2007)
Oaklawn Handicap (2008)
awards=
honours =
updated= October 17, 2007

Tiago, (foaled on March 8, 2004 at Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington, Kentucky), is an American Thoroughbred Stallion Racehorse. His sire is the 1992 U.S. Outstanding Older Male Horse, Pleasant Tap. His dam is the stakes winning mare, Set Them Free, by Stop The Music, making him a half-brother to the 2005 Kentucky Derby winner, Giacomo. The colt was named after the son of singer Sergio Mendes, a longtime friend of the Owners'.

Racing Career (2006)

Tiago made his racing debut as a two year old in a Maiden Special Weight race at Santa Anita Park on December 26, in which he placed third.

Racing Career (2007)

On January 23, Tiago finished second in another Maiden Special Weight race, but was bumped to first place after the leader was disqualified for interference down the stretch. The colt was then run in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on March 3, 2007, where he only managed seventh-place.

On April 7, Tiago burst onto horse racing's national stage by rallying dramatically to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby with odds of 29-1. This was jockey Mike E. Smith's first trip aboard the dark bay colt and the two have continued to race as an effective team ever since.

On May 5, Tiago made his first appearance outside of Southern California racing circuit, placing seventh in the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby, which was won by Street Sense at Churchill Downs. Tiago then returned to California to train and skipped the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. The colt returned to the East Coast to finish a credible third behind Rags to Riches and Curlin in the 139th running of the Belmont Stakes on June 9, 2007, at Belmont Park.

Tiago then rebounded with an authoritative score in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 14. In this race the colt maintained a stalking position until the stretch, were he was able to power through a gap along the rail to win.

Tiago was to have made his first start against older horses in the August 19 Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack, but was scratched the morning of the race due to his trainer John Shirreffs's apprehension about the Polytrack surface.

On September 29, he won the Grade 1 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita Park by a nose over Awesome Gem. This guaranteed the charismatic bay an automatic berth in the Breeder's Cup Classic Division thanks to the new "Win and you're in" program. He was the only three-year-old in the Goodwood Handicap, triumphing over older and more experienced horses. The colt was so excited in the testing barn after the race, that he had to be administered a tranquilizer.

On October 27, Tiago participated in the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park. Normally a very energetic colt, Tiago was seen with his head held down as his groom walked him to the paddock before being saddled for the race. At the start of the Classic, Tiago broke slowly and took up the rear behind Awesome Gem, Street Sense and Curlin. Despite a fair amount of last minute media hype, Tiago only showed some mild speed along the stretch and managed a fifth place on the sloppy track conditions.

Racing Career (2008)

The two-time Grade 1 winning colt made his first start of the 2008 season in the Grade 2 San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Tiago remained mid pack along the backstretch but could not overtake the leaders when he tried to close down the stretch and managed a respectable third place, two lengths behind the winner. It had been approximately two and half months since the colt last raced and the shorter distance of this race compared to his previous endeavours may have played a factor in his performance.

On February 2, Tiago made his second start of 2008 in the Grade 2 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita. He finished second, beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Monterey Jazz. Afterwards, however, his Trainer, John Shirreffs said that he was pleased with the colt's effort.

On March 1, Tiago finished a fast-closing fourth behind Heatseeker, Go Between, and Champs Elysees in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita Park.

On April 5, Tiago earned his first victory as a four-year-old when he captured the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas by prevailing by a head over Heatseeker after a grueling stretch duel.

Resources

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/tiago2 Pedigree & Partial Stats]
* [http://breederscup.com/bio.aspx?id=24532 Breeders Cup Bios Tiago]