The stretch-running Tiztastic devoured the extra distance of the 1 3/16-mile $1 million Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, capturing the longest of the domestic prep races for the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve by 2 1/4 lengths on March 22 at Fair Grounds.

"This horse is getting better at the right time," beamed Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen after taking his fifth Louisiana Derby, tying Todd Pletcher for the most wins in Fair Grounds' marquee race.

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Tiztastic's timely winning performance fills in the void left by his stablemate, Magnitude, who was knocked off the Derby trail last month with an ankle chip exiting an explosive gate-to-wire victory in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes. Magnitude is owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, the co-owner of Tiztastic along with Coolmore partners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

The 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points earned for the Louisiana Derby win also cements Tiztastic's spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May, taking his point total to 119. With only six weeks remaining until May 3 classic at Churchill Downs, Tiztastic currently heads the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

The Cinderella story of Chunk of Gold, who sold for only $2,500 as a yearling, continued on in the Louisiana Derby as he outbattled Instant Replay by a half-length for second at 10-1 odds. Trained by 32-year-old Ethan West, Chunk of Gold is also guaranteed a trip to Louisville after collecting 50 Derby qualifying points in the Louisiana Derby for a total of 75.

The 1 3/16 miles of the Louisiana Derby proved just the recipe for success for Tiztastic. The long-striding colt, a two-time winner on the turf, had turned in respectable efforts on the dirt but appeared grass-bound if he couldn't punch his ticket to the run for the roses. Twice graded stakes-placed at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old, Tiztastic launched his sophomore campaign at Oaklawn Park, finishing a good third on a speed-biased track in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes before running a flat fifth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes Feb. 23.

"We thought he'd run bigger in the Southwest," Asmussen said. "Since he didn't run his race and he had trained so well here, we brought him back here, knowing he needed more distance. He's stepping forward when he needs to. The horse has got a great mind about him. He ran a solid race, but I think there's more in him."

Ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario Saturday, Tiztastic took up his customary position near the back of the pack as Sam F. Davis Stakes winner John Hancock and fellow Asmussen trainee Yinzer pushed a punishing early pace of :22.99 and :46.84. Rosario and Tiztastic began passing horses effortlessly along the rail as the field headed into the far turn. Once angled four wide into the clear at the top of the lane, the colt inhaled the extra real estate of the long Fair Grounds stretch.

The early fractions took their toll on John Hancock, who succumbed to the rush of the late closers finished fourth as the 9-5 post-time favorite.

"He did everything right. He handled a little bit of traffic at the three-eighths pole," Rosario said of Tiztastic. "The pace was fast in front, and I had the horse underneath me to get it done."

Tiztastic ($17) rolled on by and won comfortably in a time of 1:56.20.

Good Cheer Remains Unbeaten on Road to Kentucky Oaks

Upsets seemed to be the order of the day at Fair Grounds until Good Cheer stepped onto the track for the $396,000 Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks, and she was having none of that. She defended her undefeated record and status as likely Kentucky Oaks favorite with a 3 1/2-length win over pacesetter Ahavah.

Good Cheer. (Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)

Defending Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner and champion 3-year-old male Sierra Leone had gone down to defeat two races earlier in the New Orleans Classic Stakes presented by Relyne GI by Hagyard and the previous race on the card, the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes presented by Horse Racing Nation, went to 86-1 longshot Idratherbeblessed.

After breaking cleanly, jockey Luis Saez kept Good Cheer well off a moderate pace and waited for the second turn to make his move. Straightening out into the stretch, Good Cheer moved to the front and slowly edged away from Ahavah. Gowells Delight was a distant third as Good Cheer finished the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.44, earning 100 points to vault into the top slot on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 145 total points. Ahavah, Gowells Delight, Quickick, and Her Laugh, the respective second- through fifth-place finishers in the Fair Grounds Oaks, earned points on a 50-25-15-10 scale.

"Six weeks before the (Kentucky) Oaks," trainer Brad Cox said. "She's 6-for-6 and the pressure's on. We're very proud of her and hope that in six weeks we'll have her as good as she is now. She'll be tough." -- Bob Kieckhefer