Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law, bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, breezed a bullet five furlongs in 59.75 seconds on the Palm Meadows dirt in South Florida on Sunday in preparation for the Grade 1, $1-million Belmont Stakes slated for Saturday, June 20, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Tagg said the breeze went according to plan for the multiple Grade 1-winning son of Constitution who was a $110,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase.
“He’s doing fine. He had a nice work,” said Tagg. “I sent a little filly here ahead of him so he had something to look at, and he caught her going down the stretch. I’ll probably breeze him here next Sunday before we head back to New York.”
A winner at first asking in August at Saratoga Race Course, Tiz the Law followed up with a four-length score in the G1 Champagne in October at Belmont. He completed his juvenile campaign with a close third in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club contested on a sloppy strip at Churchill Downs.
Tiz the Law opened his sophomore season at Gulfstream Park with a convincing score in the G3 Holy Bull in February and returned last out to dominate the G1 Florida Derby by 4 1/4-lengths on March 28.
Tagg said the revised 1 1/8-miles Belmont Stakes, to be contested around one turn, wouldn’t bother his talented colt.
“I haven’t seen anything yet that didn’t suit him. He always seems to handle things,” said Tagg.
Early look at the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes
Saturday, June 20
Probable: Basin (Steve Asmussen), Charlatan (Bob Baffert), Farmington Road (Todd Pletcher), Gouverneur Morris (Pletcher), Max Player (Linda Rice), Modernist (Bill Mott), Nadal (Baffert), Sole Volante (Patrick Biancone), Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg)
Possible: Maxfield (Brendan Walsh), Ny Traffic (Saffie Joseph, Jr.), Shivaree (Ralph Nicks)
Eloise and Peter Canzone, Sr.’s Dr. Edgar, a six-time winner from 27 career starts, breezed a half-mile for Tagg in 51.50 Sunday on the Palm Meadows turf. The 7-year-old Lookin At Lucky chestnut made the grade in the 2019 G3 Appleton at Gulfstream Park.
The Kentucky-bred gelding, who finished fifth in his Appleton defense in March and was second last out in an allowance mile on the turf at Gulfstream, will return to New York for the Belmont meet.
“He had a nice breeze. It was nothing special, but I want to keep him fit before we get him up there,” said Tagg.
Sophomore filly Highland Glory rallied to capture the $100,000 Sanibel Island by a neck in her stakes debut on March 28 at Gulfstream Park. Owned by Steadfast Stable and bred in Kentucky by Bonner Young, the Sky Mesa bay out of Kristi With a K endured a rough trip last out when second in the Honey Ryder on May 2 on the Gulfstream green.
Highland Glory is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Highland Sky, who captured the 2016 Woodhaven at Aqueduct and 2019 John’s Call in August at Saratoga. Her third dam, Highland Mills, produced Grade 1-winners Miss Josh and Royal Mountain Inn; and her second dam, Kristi B, produced Grade 1-winner Bit of Whimsy.
Tagg said he would point Highland Glory to the Grade 3, $150,000 Wonder Again, a one-mile turf test slated for Belmont Stakes Day June 20.
“We’ll probably run her in the Wonder Again,” said Tagg. “She had a bit of a rough trip last out, but she’s doing well. She’s getting better every day.
“I’ve trained that family from the beginning,” added Tagg. “That whole family has done well on the turf for a long time.”
New to the Paulick Report? Click here to sign up for our daily email newsletter to keep up on this and other stories happening in the Thoroughbred industry.
Copyright © 2020 Paulick Report.
