PREAKNESS: TIZ THE LAW SETTLED BACK IN AT BELMONT

Tiz the Law
Tiz the Law dominated the Belmont Stakes. Photo by Chelsea Durand, NYRA.

Four-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law has settled back in at trainer Barclay Tagg’s Belmont Park-based stable after a hard-fought second as the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Sackatoga Stable, Tiz the Law arrived at the “Run for the Roses” off an unbeaten 3-year-old season which included victories in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 30 at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20 and the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course. Last season, he gave Sackatoga Stable their first Grade 1 triumph since Funny Cide [2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup] when winning the Champagne in only his second start.

Jack Knowlton, Sackatoga Stable’s Operating Manager, said the Grade 1, $1 million Preakness Stakes on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course, the final leg of this year’s Triple Crown, is still an option for the talented son of second crop sire Constitution with a work next week being a deciding factor.

“He’ll be doing his regular gallops and as long as everything continues along well, then we’ll have a work next weekend to assess where we are,” said Knowlton. “We want to make sure he comes out of the race well and acts like he did after the Travers. That’s what we’d like to see moving forward.”

Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the Tiznow mare Tizfiz, boasting six victories from eight lifetime starts and earnings of $2.61 million

Following last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, Knowlton purchased a New York-bred yearling on behalf of Sackatoga Stable at the Fasig-Tipton Sale for $300,000. Bred in the Empire State by Barry Ostrager, the yearling son of Tiznow is out of the stakes-placed Gilded Time mare Eternal Grace, who produced multiple turf graded stakes placed Bye Bye Bernie. He was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm.

“We got a nice Tiznow colt that we really like a lot,” Knowlton said. “There were only a couple horses we bid on, but we persevered and got him. He’s down in Ocala now and hopefully Tony Everard [of New Episode Training] can work his magic. If he can run in New York stakes races, that’s our hope. It’s not always easy getting those.”

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