Sunday, August 28, 2022

Sharp Azteca’s brilliant 2-year-old colt Tyler’s Tribe kept his perfect record intact with a 15 ½-length win in the $132,000 Prairie Meadows Freshman S. on Saturday evening at the Iowa Oval (WATCH RACE).

The dark bay speedster is now 4-for-4, with three stakes wins, by a combined 53 ¼-lengths. He has never raced outside of his home track, but plans are being discussed to run in the Breeders’ Cup in November at Keeneland.

Saturday’s race turned into a one-horse affair after the first quarter-mile. Dixiemagic pressed Tyler’s Tribe down the backstretch before he shook clear. He was up about six lengths coming into the stretch and drew away on his own from there, getting the six furlongs in 1:09.83 on a fast track.

Tyler’s Tribe earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94 and has now earned $261,094. Tyler’s Tribe is the only 2-year-old in the country to register two Beyers of 90 or better this year.

Tim Martin, Tyler’s Tribe’s trainer, who co-owns him with Tom Lepic, said earlier this month that the Breeders’ Cup was being discussed. He said at the time that if the horse were to advance to the championship series, the probable target would be the Juvenile Turf Sprint, with the other option the Juvenile Turf.

Sharp Azteca is the leading First-Crop Sire of 2022 by winners, with 17 to date, and wins, with 21. He is also second by progeny earnings, with $833,110.