All Systems Go for Tiz the Law in Belmont Stakes

Training continues to progress like clockwork for Tiz the Law, and trainer Barclay Tagg could not be happier about it—or feeling more fortunate.

Sackatoga Stable's heavy favorite for the $1 million Belmont Stakes (G1) exited his final work for the June 20 stakes in fine shape and is on target for the 1 1/8-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.

"He came out of the workout good," Tagg said June 15 at his Belmont Park barn. "His legs look good. His attitude is good. He's eating great. We've been very lucky with him."

Tiz the Law, a 3-year-old New York State-bred son of Constitution , put in an easy :50.42 four-furlong breeze at Belmont Park June 14 in his final major drill for his first race since March 28, when he captured the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) by 4 1/4 lengths for his fourth win in five career starts.

One of those four wins came at Belmont Park last year when he prevailed in the one-mile Champagne Stakes (G1).

Tagg said Tiz the Law only walked Monday and will gallop the rest of the week.

It was also a quiet Monday morning of walking or galloping at the Elmont, N.Y., oval for the other Belmont Stakes candidates on hand, with each of them having already put in their final major work.

A field of eight or nine has taken shape for the opener in an unorthodox Triple Crown season in which the 152nd Belmont Stakes has shifted from the third jewel to the first due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Post, Farmington Road, Sole Volante, Max Player, Tap It to Win, Pneumatic, and Jungle Runner are the other likely starters and Modernist is a possible starter.

Trainer Bill Mott said Modernist was doing well after a bullet :59 1/5 five-furlong work Sunday at Belmont Park. The Hall of Fame trainer will confer with owners Pam and Martin Wygod about the options for Modernist later Monday and will likely announce a decision June 16 about the grade 2-winning son of Uncle Mo 's status for the Belmont Stakes.

"He worked really well yesterday," Mott said. "He came back and was good this morning. We'll have a discussion today with the owners to decide on which race he'll run in next."

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who will be seeking a fourth Belmont Stakes victory with the duo of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Chrysalis Stables, and Robert LaPenta's Farmington Road and St. Elias Stable's Dr Post, sent both 3-year-olds out for a 1 1/2-mile gallop Monday.

"Both of them are coming into it suggesting they are sitting on their best effort," he said about the Belmont Stakes, "so we'll see how it turns out."

While Tiz the Law will be making his first start in 12 weeks and five of the other candidates have not raced since May 2 or beyond, recency will be on the side of Sole Volante and Tap It to Win.

Sole Volante won a June 10 allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park, while Live Oak Plantation's Tap It to Win is coming off a frontrunning win for trainer Mark Casse in a June 4 allowance race at Belmont.

Running the same chute he'll travel in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes, the homebred Tapit  ridgling won by five lengths as the fourth choice in the betting while covering the 1 1/16-mile distance in a fleet 1:39.76 to improve his record to three wins in six starts. 

The track record for that distance stands at 1:39.22.

"He seems to be training incredibly well this week. We've been checking his energy levels and we have him back up in full training because nothing seems to be bothering him," assistant trainer Jamie Begg said. "He has loads of energy. It looks like we've finally gotten to the bottom of him. He's doing well going into the race."