Tiz the Law Retired to Ashford Stud

Tiz the Law , the flashy New York-bred who thrilled the world earlier this season with his dominant score in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), has been retired upon veterinary advice and will stand at Ashford Stud for the 2021 season, it was announced Dec. 30.

The 3-year-old son of leading second-crop sire Constitution  became just the fourth New York-bred and first since Forester in 1882 to win the Belmont Stakes, one of four top-level victories accomplished in his nine-race career for Sackatoga Stable and trainer Barclay Tagg. Although the deal to stand him at Ashford was announced in June, plans first called for a 4-year-old campaign in 2021, but severe bone bruising would necessitate his early retirement. 

Knowlton said assistant trainer Robin Smullen felt something was amiss while she was galloping Tiz the Law Dec. 29 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

"Yesterday I got one of those calls I dread answering," Knowlton said Wednesday. "It was a call from Barclay when I don't expect him to call me. It was bad news. Fortunately, having a horsewoman like Robin on (Tiz the Law) every day and who knows him, she knew there was a problem. Because of that, we had him X-rayed and found an issue."

Knowlton said X-rays revealed the bone bruising, and retirement was taken as a precaution for the safety of the classic winner.

"You don't want to worry about a catastrophic injury that would have occurred if we continued to race him," Knowlton said. "We had a second opinion and they both said we could not continue to train and race him. There was no decision to make other than to retire him when you get a diagnosis like that."

For Knowlton, it was a bittersweet end to a career that brought Sackatoga back into the spotlight in an even bigger way than its 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) splash with Funny Cide. Tiz the Law was a modest $110,000 purchase from Sequel New York's consignment to the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred Yearling Sale, yet went on to become one the most accomplished of his generation.

After breaking his maiden at first asking in 2019 at Saratoga Race Course, the strapping bay won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and went on to race exclusively in graded stakes company. He was third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs to conclude his juvenile season. In 2020 he won the Holy Bull Stakes (G3), Curlin Florida Derby (G1), Belmont, and Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), and was second to Authentic  in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. He capped his career with a sixth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, and retires with a 6-1-1 record and earnings of $2,735,300.  

"It's sad to have to end it," Knowlton said. "We negotiated the stud deal so we could run him at 4 but unfortunately he didn't make it. We certainly had a great run for a year-and-a-half and all the people in our group had a great time. We didn't get to see two of his big wins (the Florida Derby and the Belmont Stakes because of COVID-19 restrictions) but we viewed them and celebrated."

Being a lifelong resident of the Saratoga region, Knowlton holds a special place in his heart for Tiz the Law's Travers win, which erased the bitter memories of missing the Midsummer Derby with Funny Cide.

"For me the Travers was the highlight of his whole career," Knowlton said. "To win the way he did at my home track, at a classic distance, in a fast time; it was pretty exciting. It would have been more exciting to have all our partners there and 50,000 fans, but it is what it is in a crazy year."

Knowlton was especially thankful for the work of Tagg and Smullen, who helped find the colt at auction and developed him into a classic winner.

"Barclay and Robin deserve an awful lot of credit," he said. "Barclay does not get a lot of horses like this, but when he does, he knows what to do with them. There are a lot of guys out there who get good horses and haven't been able to do with them what he has done."

"While it is unfortunate that 'Tiz's' racing career has been cut short, we have been extremely fortunate and blessed to have had him in our lives," Tagg said. "Robin and I were able to pick him out and train him to win the grade 1 Champagne as a 2-year-old and three grade 1 races as well as run second in the Kentucky Derby this year. He has taken his owners and Barclay Tagg Racing Stable to places that most owners and trainers only dream about. We look forward to his career as a stallion with Ashford Stud."

Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the late mare Tizfiz, a grade 2-winning daughter of Tiznow who won or placed 11 times out of 20 starts and captured the San Gorgonio Handicap (G2T) along with two other listed stakes during her racing career. She hailed from a deep family with 16 black-type performers under the mare's first three dams. Standouts from the immediate family include 1997 Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old male Favorite Trick, two-time grade 1 winner Moonshine Memories, grade 1-placed grade 3 winner Fury Kapcori , and grade 1-placed grade 2 winner Favorite Tale.

Tiz the Law is inbred 5x5 to Seattle Slew and 5x5x5 to Mr. Prospector. His dam traces to Seattle Slew through Tiznow's dam, Cee's Song (her sire is the Seattle Slew son Seattle Song). Constitution traces tail-male to Seattle Slew through A.P. Indy. One influence of Mr. Prospector comes through Tizfiz's second dam, Crafty and Evil, who is a daughter of Mr. Prospector's son Crafty Prospector. The two other lines of Mr. Prospector come through Preach, the dam of Pulpit, who is Constitution's grandsire, and through Distorted Humor , who is Constitution's broodmare sire.

"From day one when he broke his maiden at Saratoga we have been watching Tiz the Law closely and he has everything you look for in a stallion prospect," said Coolmore America manager Dermot Ryan. "He has an outstanding race record, he's a very good-looking individual, and he boasts a strong pedigree. Barclay Tagg, Robin Smullen, and their team have done a fantastic job with him and we are also grateful to Jack Knowlton and his partners in Sackatoga Stable for letting us be a part of him."

But for Ashford stallion American Pharoah , Constitution would have been champion freshman sire—he ranked second in 2019—and champion second-crop sire. Off the back of this success, the son of Tapit 's fee at WinStar Farm has risen from $25,000 to $85,000 for the coming season. 

Tiz The Law’s fee will be $40,000 and he will be available for inspection at Ashford starting Jan. 4.