Tiz the Law Records Last NY Breeze Before Breeders' Cup

Sackatoga Stable's New York-bred Tiz the Law recorded his final breeze at Belmont Park Oct. 16 in preparation for the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland. The son of Constitution  went six furlongs in 1:12.26 on a fast main track.

Tiz the Law, who will ship to Keeneland by van Sunday, stepped foot onto the track just after 6:30 a.m. ET under overcast skies and a sliver of daylight, accompanied by stablemate and three-time winning filly Niko's Dream (five furlongs in 1:01.05), with trainer Barclay Tagg looking on from his pony.

Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with Niko's Dream before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of :13.07, :24.84, :36.43, and :47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.46 and one mile in 1:40.05.

"He just goes out there and does his job," Smullen said. "He was on the bridle, breaking off of (Niko's Dream) and then he decided, 'Well, it's time to finish up,' and he just went on away from her. He does everything you expect a good horse to do."

Tagg's partner and longtime assistant, Robin Smullen, said she was happy with the work.

"We wanted him to settle next to (Niko's Dream), which he did," Smullen said. "They went the first three-eighths in :36 and 4. He galloped out seven-eighths in 1:25. He pulled up great, cooled out well."

The move was the four-time grade 1 winner's fourth work since finishing second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Authentic, in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) last month. 

With three weeks out from the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tiz the Law will complete his final serious preparation for the classic-distance event at Keeneland in Lexington, where this year's event is scheduled to be held Nov. 6-7.

Robin Smullen said Tiz the Law tends to run better when he has time to get acclimated to new surroundings.

"He seems like he's at his best when he does," Smullen said. "His best race was at Saratoga, and we were there for a few weeks before we actually ran in the Travers, and that was his best race by far. In Florida, he had to ship down to Gulfstream (from Palm Meadows Training Center) and we breezed him there. His first race was good, but the Florida Derby (G1) was better. 

"His second race going over the track was better. We didn't take him back down to breeze him. We kept him at Palm Meadows. Looking at it from that standpoint this far out from what we know now, his best races are when he has a couple of works over the track. We discussed that and decided the best we could possibly do for him is give him two works over that track."

A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearling Sale, Tiz the Law has amassed $2,615,300 in earnings. Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, he is out of the graded stakes-winning Tiznow  mare Tizfiz.