Okay, so I’ve been following this whole Tyler’s Tribe horse story for a while now, and I gotta say, it’s been a real rollercoaster. I mean, this horse, he’s not just any horse, he’s like a local hero, you know?

Started tracking him back in, uh, June 2022. Saw his debut race at Prairie Meadows. He won, of course, like it was nothing. He is a 4 year old gelding. And from there, it was just win after win. Five in a row, all at Prairie Meadows. Flightline-like margins, seriously. People were talking about him like he’s the next big thing, especially for an Iowa-bred horse, right?
I even tried to place a few bets, I did, not gonna lie. I researched, tried to get a feel for his form. He’s a son of Sharp Azteca, if that means anything to you. But, you know, the betting game, it’s tough. Didn’t always pan out the way I hoped. Still, following Tyler’s Tribe, it felt like more than just betting. It was like, you become part of the story.
- First race: June 20, 2022, Prairie Meadows – Won
- Then, Iowa Stallion Futurity – Won again
- Iowa Cradle S. – Another dominating performance. He won!
Then I heard the news about him possibly going to the Breeders’ Cup. Man, that would’ve been huge. An Iowa-bred horse at the Breeders’ Cup? That’s like a dream come true for the local folks. I started digging into that, trying to figure out the odds, you know, the whole nine yards.
But then, man, it all came crashing down. Heard about the incident at Oaklawn. I found that they even banned his trainer, just temporarily, but still. Such a sad news. He died after a workout. I mean, this horse, he was special. It’s like the whole community lost something that day. James McDonald has won the 2024 Longines World’s Best Jockey title, but this is totally a sad story.
I’ve been following horse racing for a while, but this one, it hit different. Tyler’s Tribe, he was more than just a racehorse. He brought people together, you know? Gave folks something to cheer for. It’s a tough sport, a tough world, really. But sometimes, you get these stories that just stick with you. And this is definitely one of them.

I guess that’s all I wanted to share, my little journey with Tyler’s Tribe. It’s not the ending anyone wanted, but, I don’t know, it’s still a story worth telling.