There have been 41 winners of the Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic since the inception of the series in 1984.<\/p>\n
But only one Tiznow.<\/p>\n
When you consider all of the great horses who have competed in the coveted Grade 1 stakes \u2013 champions such as Cigar<\/a>, American Pharoah<\/a>, Alysheba<\/a>, and Curlin<\/a> \u2013 the only one with the proper amount of class, durability, and longevity to win the race twice was Tiznow.<\/p>\n As a 3-year-old in 2000 and then again in 2001, the California-bred peaked at the right time and turned in a performance strong enough to beat the best horses in the world.<\/p>\n Yes, the world, because in both of his Breeders\u2019 Cup wins, Tiznow edged rivals from Europe. In the second of the two, Tiznow courageously outdueled no less of a rival than Prix de l\u2019Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee in the 2001 event at a tense Belmont Park<\/a> less than two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.<\/p>\n For those in attendance, it was an unforgettable day of racing with a performance that remains unrivaled.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be perfectly frank, I thought I was riding for second money after Sakhee went by me with so much momentum,\u201d said jockey Chris McCarron<\/a>, who rode Tiznow in both Breeders\u2019 Cup wins. \u201cBut Tiznow outgamed him.\u201d<\/p>\n Like so many champions before him, Tiznow\u2019s first race was hardly memorable.<\/p>\n A homebred son of Cee\u2019s Tizzy trained by Jay Robbins and owned by his breeder, Cecilia Straub-Rubens, and Mike Cooper under the banner of Cees Stable, Tiznow finished a nondescript sixth at 13.80-1 odds in his career debut at Santa Anita Park<\/a> on April 22, 2000.<\/p>\n He was then an improved second and broke his maiden in his third try, scoring by an eye-opening 8 \u00bd lengths at the now-shuttered Hollywood Park.<\/p>\n The impressive maiden win inspired Robbins so much that he entered Tiznow in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap on July 1 and his faith was rewarded with a neck victory over the favored Dixie Union.<\/p>\n The natural progression was to the Grade 1 Swaps Stakes on July 23, also at Hollywood Park, and Tiznow settled for second behind Captain Steve.<\/p>\n Robbins continued to hand Tiznow bigger challenges as he opted to let the California-bred take on older horses in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar<\/a>. Again, Tiznow turned in a superb performance when he finished second to Skimming by two lengths.<\/p>\n Returned to 3-year-old company, Tiznow ran in the Grade 1 Super Derby and won by six lengths. Two weeks later, he returned in the Grade 2 Goodwood Breeders\u2019 Cup Handicap and defeated Captain Steve by a half-length to become a leading contender for the Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic.<\/p>\n As the sport\u2019s focus shifted to Churchill Downs<\/a> for the Breeders\u2019 Cup, Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus was still considered the top 3-year-old and was sent off as a 6-5 favorite, even though he had only raced once since the Preakness in May.<\/p>\n While Fusaichi Pegasus\u2019 best day was six months earlier at Churchill Downs, Tiznow was in brilliant form and the battle between the two 3-year-olds proved to be a mismatch.<\/p>\n