Florida Derby, Louisiana Derby both in play for Tiz the Law

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Barclay Tagg was packing the car and heading off to Ocala shortly after training hours on Sunday, but not before relaying the news that Tiz the Law came out of his impressive three-length victory over Ete Indien in Saturday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull in good order.

“He scoped clean after the race, ate up last night, and his legs are good,” said Tagg.

Tiz the Law registered his third victory in four career starts after overcoming a bit of an eventful trip in the Holy Bull when “wrangled back and steadied losing position” in the vicinity of the six-furlong pole, according to the chart footnote, before ultimately overtaking the pacesetting Ete Indien approaching the stretch. Tiz the Law asserted his superiority from that point on, readily edging well clear despite lugging back in towards the rail at midstretch.

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“We did a lot of work preparing him for the race,” said Tagg. “We took him down to Gulfstream Park and had [Manny Franco] fly down to work him a couple of weeks ago and brought him back again on Wednesday and paddocked him. We didn’t skip anything. And everything worked out great. There is still a little greenness there and he didn’t have a perfect trip, I was a little surprised he didn’t stay outside once he was out there on the first turn, although most races have more problems than that in them.”

Tiz the Law received a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his effort in the Holy Bull, easily his best to date.

“This was probably his best race although the Champagne was very impressive because he was so green then and he’d had two months between races,” Tagg recalled. “It was such a pleasant surprise that everything came together so quickly with him. It’s not every day you take a horse out of a maiden race and win a Grade 1. I’m very happy with both races.”

Tagg reiterated immediately after the Holy Bull what he’d been saying for the past several weeks, that Tiz the Law would likely make his next start on March 21 in the 1 3/16-mile Louisiana Derby. Although by Sunday morning, Tagg was suggesting an alternate plan.

“Right now I’m probably leaning towards running him next in the Florida Derby,” Tagg said. “Both races are in play, but he’s schooled at this track, he’s worked at this track, and he’s run well over this track, so we already know he likes it here. There is no way we can take him to New Orleans and breeze him like we did here unless we bring him down for a week. Nothing is etched in stone, but right now I think I’d prefer to stay here and take him right to the Florida Derby.”

The Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby will be decided at 1 1/8 miles on March 28.