TIZNOW SUFFERS SHOCK DEFEAT Tiznow, recently crowned American Horse of the Year, suffered a shock defeat in the Grade Two Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Breeders` Cup Classic winner failed to get to grips with the front-running Wooden Phone and went down by two lengths to Bob Baffert`s charge in the nine-furlong contest. Wooden Phone had previously finished third to Tiznow in the San Fernando Stakes at the same California venue last month. A clearly below-par Tiznow never looked happy and travelled wide on both turns under Chris McCarron. McCarron said: 'I asked him for an effort four and a half furlongs out and he wasn`t there. He was flat. He is normally very abrupt with his acceleration.' Tiznow`s trainer, Jay Robbins, said: 'From the eight-pole he just kind of galloped. He didn`t fire like he has done in the past.' Despite the defeat, Tiznow may contest the Santa Anita Handicap on March 3rd.
