It was another picture-perfect morning in Saratoga on Saturday both in the weather department and for leading 3-year-old Tiz the Law, who put in another solid workout over the main track in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on Aug. 8.
There are five stakes at Del Mar from next Friday through Sunday, including races with ramifications for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5 and the Breeders’ Cup Saturday program at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
Art Collector will use the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9 as his final prep toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, trainer Tommy Drury told Ellis officials early this week.
Caracaro, narrowly defeated by Country Grammer following a stirring stretch duel in the Peter Pan here on Thursday, could be a candidate for the Grade 1 Travers, according to Gustavo Delgado Jr., whose father, Gustavo Delgado, trains the 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo.
Tiz the Law closed as a clear-cut favorite when Pool 6 in the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday following the customary three days of betting.
The top three finishers in the Haskell Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth all emerged from the race in good order, and all will make their next start in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, meaning they will come into the Derby following a seven-week layoff.
Country Grammer was significantly impacted by the postponement of racing in New York earlier this year. It looks like he’s now able to get into a routine of racing and training. That, and the forward move he made he made in the Peter Pan, bodes well for him in coming months.
Here’s one of the more confounding races to analyze in quite a while. On one hand, Authentic just lasted to win going 1 1/8 miles, continuing to give the indication that extra distance looks like it will be a challenge. On the other hand, Authentic earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in this race, equaling the fig earned by Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes, for instance.
Authentic accomplished what he needed to accomplish on Saturday, earning his first Grade 1 victory in the $1 million Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, and succeeding at 1 1/8 miles.
Heather Smullen had not sat on the back of Tiz the Law for about three months. It took less than a minute for her to realize how much the 3-year-old colt has changed in a short period of time.
