Tiz the Law, Uncle Chuck Breeze Toward Aug. 8 Travers

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Tiz the Law, Uncle Chuck Breeze Toward Aug. 8 Travers
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Tiz the Law works Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course

Thousands of miles away from one another, the two projected favorites for the $1 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) recorded their final breezes Aug. 1 before the 1 1/4-mile race Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

The anticipated favorite for the key summer test is Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law, who five furlongs in :59.44 on a fast Saratoga main track. 

"I wanted to go in a minute, and he went in a minute. It was perfect," trainer Barclay Tagg said. "We couldn't have worked better. He came back good and he was breathing good. Everything was good. He's a gem to work with. He is doing perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what else we can do for him. I like this colt. Why wouldn't you? We've got a nice horse."

The Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets winner (G1) recorded steady fractions and galloped out in 1:13 2/5 with exercise rider Heather Smullen aboard.

The three-time grade 1-winning son of second-crop sire Constitution  won his debut at Saratoga last summer. Last out, he captured the first leg of the revised Triple Crown when 3 3/4 lengths clear in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont June 20.

Sackatoga Stable's operations manager, Jack Knowlton, was pleased.

"Fortunately, he's an easy horse to deal with. He gallops out the way you want him to gallop out. Everything looks as good as it can be," Knowlton said. "I want to enjoy the next week because it is going to be a lot of fun. We will get to do a lot of things, and we will enjoy the moment at Saratoga. Hopefully, everything will work out."

Tiz the Law with regular exerciser rider Heather Smullen aboard goes out for his final tuneup Saturday Aug. 1, 2020 for the Travers Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Tiz the Law completes his final tuneup for the Travers Stakes

Tiz the Law, ranked first on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 272 qualifying points, is aimed toward a unique Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs was postponed because of COVID-19, and the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course was pushed back to Oct. 3.

Others logging workouts on the Saratoga main track leading up to intended starts in the Travers included Peter Pan Stakes (G3) winner Country Grammer (half-mile in :47.66); Shivaree, who was unplaced in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) last out (five furlongs in 1:03.27); and Peter Pan runner-up Caracaro (six furlongs in 1:15.99). 

Caracaro's workout came under Javier Castellano, who will have the Travers mount. The Hall of Fame jockey has won the race a record six times.

"All jockeys and trainers are all trying to win a race like the Travers," he said. "I'm very fortunate to be a part of its history winning with six horses. Even myself, when I say that number, I say, 'Really? I did that?' I've been so lucky and I've had a lot of support from my agent, the trainers, and owners who put me on horses with opportunities to win these big races."

Mystic Guide, whose connections are still weighing whether to run him in the Travers, added blinkers for his five-eighths work in 1:01 Saturday at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. He was third last out in the Peter Pan.

"We felt like he was a little more handy with the blinkers on," trainer Mike Stidham said. "He broke off three lengths behind another horse. We told the rider to stay even with the other horse down to the wire, and he galloped out well. He went out in :13 and change. I was very happy with the addition of blinkers."

Stidham said the $150,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Sept.  5 is also being considered for the colt's next race.

Uncle Chuck, scratched from the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday by trainer Bob Baffert in favor of a start in the Travers, worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 on a fast track at Del Mar, co-fastest of 71 at the distance. The son of Uncle Mo  who won the Los Alamitos Derby (G3) in his most recent start traveled smoothly in a solo breeze and galloped out enthusiastically.

Clocker Toby Turrell timed him going the first half-mile in :49 1/5 with gallop-outs of 1:12 4/5 for six furlongs and 1:39 3/5 for a mile.

"I'm very happy with the work," Baffert said. "He's all set now for next week and the big challenge there."

The colt is 2-for-2, having won a mile maiden race by seven lengths at Santa Anita Park June 12 before a four-length score over dual graded stakes winner and stablemate Thousand Words in the 1 1/8-mile Los Alamitos Derby July 4. The expected second betting choice in the Travers, he is owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman.

Uncle Chuck and a group of other California horses scheduled to run in other races at Saratoga are booked to fly to New York Aug. 4.

Baffert also breezed TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Authentic on Saturday at Del Mar, where he went a half-mile in 50 1/5. Authentic is not running in the Travers; instead, he is awaiting a start in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

The probable field for the Travers, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers, includes Max Player and South Bend.

The Travers is one of three grade 1 races on a card that includes the Ballerina Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) for older female sprinters and the Longines Test Stakes (G1), a sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Also on the card are the Troy Stakes (G3T) and Waya Stakes (G3T).