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Tiago takes Swaps Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Moss' homebred TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) surged through a slight opening on the rail under Mike Smith and strode clear to an impressive 2 1/2-length score in the $368,250 Swaps Breeders' Cup S. (G2) over the Cushion Track at Hollywood on Saturday. The John Shirreffs charge stopped the clock for 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 3/5, paying $4, $2.60 and $2.10 as the even-money favorite. Desert Code (E Dubai) grabbed the lead soon after the start, setting splits of :23 3/5, :46 4/5, 1:10 3/5 and 1:35 4/5 while chased by Souvenir Slew (Souvenir Copy) and Awesome Gambler (Coronado's Quest). Tiago and Smith were content to stalk the pacesetter in fifth while just off the rail and moved closer to the inside entering the stretch. When Desert Code began backing up, the stretch run turned into a three-horse drive as Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) moved up to challenge. It wasn't to be, though, as Tiago slipped through a tight opening on the rail, easily taking over and driving clear. Albertus Maximus managed to get his head down on the line to take second over Souvenir Slew, returning $3.20 and $2.60 as the 5-2 second pick. Souvenir Slew was four lengths up on Desert Code at the wire, giving back $3.80 as the 23-1 longest shot in the field. The $1 exotics were worth $5.40 (exacta) and $40.70 (3-2-6 trifecta). Awesome Gambler and Augment (Aptitude) completed the order of finish. With this win, Tiago increased his earnings to $815,270 and moved his line to 7-3-0-2. The bay colt began his career with a third in a Santa Anita maiden special weight, then finished second by a head in his second try. Awarded the win via disqualification in the latter, the sophomore was immediately entered against graded rivals, running seventh in the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2). He was sent off at 29-1 in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) next out, and shocked everyone but his connections with a half-length victory in the nine-furlong test. A seventh in the Kentucky Derby followed, and Tiago was given a break to prepare for the Belmont S. (G1), where he rallied to be easily best of the rest in third behind Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Curlin (Smart Strike). Bred in Kentucky, the winner is out of multiple stakes queen Set Them Free (Stop the Music), making him a half-brother to 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1) Giacomo (Holy Bull), who was fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Set Them Free has also produced Grade 2-placed Sea Jewel (Sea Hero), a juvenile full brother to Tiago named Alonzo, a yearling colt by Giant's Causeway and an unnamed 2007 colt by Pulpit. This is the female family of French classic winner Baiser Vole (Foolish Pleasure), co-champion two-year-old in France in 1985. Moss, a co-founder of A&M Records, named both Giacomo and Tiago for sons of music stars. Giacomo is named after Sting's son, while Tiago's namesake is the son of Sergio Mendes.
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