Contenders

Greg Fox

Fox is an equine veterinarian since 1989. He began his practice in Maryland before moving to Kentucky about a dozen years ago. Fox began training just 2 1/2 years ago, taking over the duties for his wife Jamie, who retired to take care of their son. The Lexington-based couple have about 24 horses in training at his farm next to the Thoroughbred Training Center near Lexington, KY. Slew's Tizzy is Fox's first stakes winner and would be his first Kentucky Derby starter.

TBA

Joseph LaCombe Stable Inc.

Lacombe is noted for owning 1997 Horse of the Year and 2-year-old champion Favorite Trick. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1932, Lacombe now has homes in Cincinnati and West Palm Beach, Florida. A retired businessman, Lacombe formerly was a regional vice president for Howard Schultz and Associates, an accounts payable auditing business. He also owned and was the president of one of the firm's franchises that served Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, and Tennessee. He got involved in racing on the advice of a friend at his former company, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) with his first-ever starter in the championship event. That horse, Favorite Trick, would go on to finish 8th in the 1998 Derby; and along with Deputy Glitters (8th in 2006) Lacombe's only starters in the race to date.

Joseph LaCombe Stable Inc. (KY)

Lacombe is noted for owning 1997 Horse of the Year and 2-year-old champion Favorite Trick. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1932, Lacombe now has homes in Cincinnati and West Palm Beach, Florida. A retired businessman, Lacombe formerly was a regional vice president for Howard Schultz and Associates, an accounts payable auditing business. He also owned and was the president of one of the firm's franchises that served Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Michigan, and Tennessee. He got involved in racing on the advice of a friend at his former company, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) with his first-ever starter in the championship event. That horse, Favorite Trick, would go on to finish 8th in the 1998 Derby; and along with Deputy Glitters (8th in 2006) Lacombe's only starters in the race to date.

Slew's Tizzy is a son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) champ Tiznow. The California bred son of Cee’s Tizzy was at his best going two turns. All his wins came at three and four, when he captured five graded stakes in addition to the Breeders’ Cup races. His full brother, Budroyale, was also second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In addition to Liquidity, he has other high-class 3-year-olds in Liquidity, Tenfold, and Tiz Wonderful, who swept the fall stakes at Churchill Downs this November. The latter was sidelined from Derby consideration after a minor injury this winter. Tiznow has just three stakes winners from his first three crops, but one of the trio is Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and 2-year-old champion Folklore.

Slew’s Tizzy is one of two winners from his dam Hepatica. She won one of three starts, a sprint at age two, in an abbreviated racing career. Hepatica comes a very nice mare named Summer Dress, who has produced no less than nine winners, including five stakes horses. Her best offspring are Best Dress, a Grade 3 winner, and the listed winners Francie and Ginseng. Summer Dress also has three stakes winning siblings, topped by Double Discount, who set a track record for a 1-¼ miles in the Carleton Burke (GII) and was also second in the 1976 Santa Anita Derby (GI) during an eight-year career. The third and fourth dams of Slew’s Tizzy sport as much black-type as any horse in this year’s Derby field, with horses that have won on all surfaces and at all distances in both the United States and Europe.

Slew’s Tizzy is inbred 4x3 to undefeated 1977 Triple Crown Winner Seattle Slew, and undoubtedly gets stamina on top and bottom from the great champion, in addition to his two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winning sire Tiznow. The strength of his tail female line’s first few generations is somewhat deceiving due to the relative obscurity of the sires, but his third dam, General Store, is by To Market, a three-time track record setter at distances from six furlongs to 1-¼ miles. And his fourth dam, Generals Sister, is by 1943 Triple Crown Winner Count Fleet. Dosage Index: 2.00 – by Mark Hoard

Coming Derby Week.