Tizway was named a finalist for the 2011 Eclipse Award in the older male category on the strength of his Grade 1 wins in the $750,000 Whitney H. and $500,000 Metropolitan H. over two of the better stakes fields assembled in the entire year. The now 7-year-old was the leading earner of 2011 for his sire Tiznow, whose progeny amassed more than $5.4 million, with 10 stakes winners netting 13 stakes wins.
The Whitney-Met double looks more impressive in historical context, considering only seven horses in history have pulled off the feat, with the immortal Secretariat the last to do so. Tizway was also third in two other graded stakes last year: the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park H. and the Grade 3 Charles Town Classic.
Scheduled to end his racing career in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Tizway unfortunately missed the race because of slight injury, and he was retired to stud. He ended his career with a mark of 7-1-5 from 20 starts and $1,359,274 in earnings for his owner William Clifton, Jr.
Clifton purchased Tizway at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale, going to $140,000 for the winning bid. Tizway is a half-brother to the stakes winner Ticket to Seattle, out of the unraced mare Bethany. She is a half-sister to Will’s Way, who also won the Whitney as well as the Grade 1 Travers.
