Tiz The Law’s Usha Dazzles In La Brea

[Wandering Eyes]

Making her Grade I debut and just her second start in stakes company, Usha (Tiz the Law) dazzled through the final two furlongs to romp home in the GI La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Sunday, giving her sire his first Grade I winner.

A highly-touted debut runner during the Del Mar summer in 2024, the $600,000 OBS April grad has the unfortunate luck of running behind several classier stablemates including the likes of GISW Tenma (Nyquist) and GSW Non Compliant (Tiz the Law). Being a New York-bred, Usha then made a trip to her home state where she again ran second facing fellow state-breds at Aqueduct in late Oct. 2024.

From there, it was back to California and back to the drawing board for Bob Baffert who gave the filly a nine-month layoff leading into her 3-year-old campaign where something finally clicked. Her first start of the year at Del Mar, she put up a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in an 11 1/2-length blowout July 25 and backed that up with a 5 1/4-length score in allowance company going 6 1/2 furlongs Sept. 5. From there, she returned East where she faded from the front in the seven-furlong GII Lexus Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 18 in what was her most recent start.

The shortest price of three Bob Baffert-trained entries, the 5-1 shot wasn't quick enough for the early lead Sunday and soon got shuffled back to seventh as stablemate Silent Law (Tiz the Law) dueled up front outside Artisma (Munnings).

That pair kept things bunched up towards the front through fractions of :21.85 and :44.43 while Usha was still boxed in behind a wall of runners in need of racing room midway around the far turn. Having to split runners just outside of the quarter pole but with plenty of horse to do so, Juan Hernandez found the seam he needed and Usha exploded free at the top of the stretch.

Race favorite and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Formula Rossa (Vekoma) was rolling down the outside to pick up second late to deny Simply Joking (Practical Joke) the placing but they were both far back of the winner as Usha strolled home on top in a brilliant performance. The f inal time for the seven furlongs was 1:21.68.

“Usha showed up today,” Baffert said. “I shipped her to Kentucky for her last race and she lost it in the paddock. She came back here and that worked well. Juan knows her really well, I didn't have to say anything to him. We expected this when I shipped her to Kentucky, and didn't win a race, but today she showed up.”

“She is really good…she can be a little nervous and leaves some of the race in the post parade but today she was really calm,” added Hernandez.  “[Baffert assistant Jimmy Barnes] and the guys in the barn did a really good job with her and kept her calm. It worked out really well.”

Pedigree Note:
Usha is the first Grade I winner for Coolmore's second-crop sire Tiz the Law who has been knocking on the door with four Grade II winners from his first crop. First dam Animal Appeal, stakes-placed at Saratoga in the Smart N Fancy Stakes in her own racing career, has produced three foals from as many to race and most recently sold for just $9,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale to Rachid Brothers in 2023. Usha, picked up for $600,000 at OBS April by the Three Amigos, is far and away her most talented offspring though she does have winners by both Blame and Twirling Candy as well. Animal Appeal, who was exported to Saudi Arabia soon after selling, has a Solomini yearling filly still to represent her.

Sunday, Santa Anita
LA BREA S. PRESENTED BY DON JULIO-GI, $302,500, Santa Anita, 12-28, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.68, ft.
1–USHA, 120, f, 3, by Tiz the Law
            1st Dam: Animal Appeal (SP, $220,298),
                        by Leroidesanimaux (Brz)
            2nd Dam: Appealing Card, by Valid Appeal
            3rd Dam: What a Card, by Wig Out
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE
I WIN. ($30,000 Ylg '23 SARAUG; $600,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR).
O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman; B-Esler
& Raine (NY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: 8-3-2-2, $328,350. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Formula Rossa, 120, f, 3, by Vekoma
            1st Dam: Fay Na Na, by Majestic Warrior
            2nd Dam: She's Roughin It, by Forest Camp
            3rd Dam: Guinevere K, by Gone West
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($130,000 Ylg '23
KEEJAN; $270,000 Ylg '23 FTKOCT). O-Muir Hut Stables LLC;
B-Greathouse Equine, LLC & Glencrest Farm, LLC (KY); T-Mark
Glatt. $60,000.
3–Simply Joking, 120, f, 3, by Practical Joke
            1st Dam: Imply (MSW, $772,728), by E Dubai
            2nd Dam: Allude, by Orientate
            3rd Dam: Ed's Holy Cow, by Bet Big
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($65,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Berkels0813
LLC, CMNWLTH LLC, Grantley Acres and Ryan Conner; B-Barlar,
LLC (PA); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $36,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, NK, 3 1/4. Odds: 5.60, 2.00, 16.90.
Also Ran: Brilliantly, Her Laugh, So There She Was, Silent Law, Artisma, Five G, Schilflied. Scratched: Magnificat. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

USHA ($13.80) splits rivals under the guidance of jockey @JJHernandezS19 and prevails in the $300,000 La Brea (G1) at @SantaAnitaPark. The 3YO filly by @CoolmoreAmerica's Tiz The Law is trained by @BobBaffert and owned by Pegram, Watson or Weitman. pic.twitter.com/VkgDgDWf1p

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 28, 2025

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