Eddie Woods sales grad Heywoods Beach broke into the ranks of graded stakes winners with a gallant effort in the $125,000 Cougar II S. (G3) on July 24 at Del Mar, defeating Tizamagician by a length in the 1 ½-mile marathon.

Heywoods Beach, third to Tizamagician in the 2021 renewal of the Cougar II, turned the tables on his foe with a good stalking trip. Tizamagician led the way through the first mile in 1:38.20, with Heywoods Beach never more than a length back in second. Coming into the stretch, Heywoods Beach forged to the lead then dug in resolutely to get the victory in 2:30.09, less than a second off the track record.

“I had a lot of horse all the way. I could feel it,” said winning rider Ramon Vazquez. “You love it when you know you've got that under you. I could feel it all the way. I like riding these long races. There's time to think and plan. You've got time to do what you need to do.”

Heywoods Beach, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown, is trained by John Sadler and has earned $289,251 for Hronis Racing. David Ingordo purchased Heywoods Beach for $180,000 out of Woods’ consignment at the 2019 OBS Horses of Racing Age sale.