Tiz the Law dominates Champagne but Breeders' Cup is not likely

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tiz the Law came off a two-month layoff and ran himself right near the top of the 2-year-old division with a dominant four-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.

While the victory earned the New York-bred son of Constitution an expenses-paid trip to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, his connections are inclined to skip that championship-making race.

Jack Knowlton, head of Sackatoga Stable, which owns Tiz the Law, and his trainer Barclay Tagg, both seemed inclined on skipping the Juvenile. The Grade 2, $200,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 7 is a more likely target.

Knowlton called the Breeders’ Cup “highly, highly, highly, highly unlikely.”

In addition to not wanting to ship a young 2-year-old cross-country for his first start around two turns against top competition, Knowlton said “quite honestly, still some concerns about that racetrack.”

Knowlton was referring to the main track at Santa Anita, which experienced a plethora of breakdowns during its six-month meeting from December to June and had another one on the second day of this current fall meet.

Knowlton said his main focus is trying to get Tiz the Law to next spring’s Kentucky Derby. Sackatoga and Tagg won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Funny Cide, like Tiz the Law, a New York-bred.

“Based upon the other good horse we had, Barclay knows how to work with them in the spring,” Knowlton said. “There are some really nice races we can run in. We got our Grade 1 here already, we’ll just try to follow a similar path we did with Funny Cide. We’re not going to try and do too much too soon. This guy proved he can run with anybody I think.”

Tiz the Law won a New York-bred maiden race at Saratoga on Aug. 8 by 4 1/4 lengths, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure. Shortly thereafter, he developed a shin injury that needed to be blistered and he missed three weeks of training.

It wasn’t until a workout on Wednesday morning – day of entry – that the final decision was made to enter Tiz the Law in the Champagne. Tiz the Law worked an easy half-mile in 49.13 with jockey Manny Franco sitting on him.

“I just liked what I saw,” Tagg said. “It’s kind of hard to explain.”

If Tagg liked what he saw Wednesday, he had to love what he saw Saturday. Well, not early on.

From the outside post in the six-horse field, Tiz the Law broke so hard he bobbled. Franco let him settle into fifth position but he had to steady off the heels of horses in front of him.

Franco got him to relax while Green Light Go, the 6-5 favorite under Junior Alvarado, was on the lead, pressed to his outside by Gozilla through a quarter of 22.57 seconds and a half-mile in 46.15.

Down the backside, Franco had Tiz the Law between Truculent to his inside and Big City Bob to his outside.

Green Light Go and Gozilla were still duking it out through six furlongs in 1:10.82. Turning for home Franco, guided Tiz the Law three wide into the clear and by the eighth pole he shot past the two leaders. Franco took him in hand late and patted him on his neck as he crossed the wire, covering a mile in 1:35.41. He returned $4.80 as the second choice.

“He bobbled a little bit because he wanted to break so sharp and then he took a strong hold early,” Franco said. “I got him to relax and he came back to me. I didn’t want to move early because I know I got a lot of horse under me. I tried to wait as long as I could; when I tip out he just took off.”

Franco picked up the mount on Tiz the Law because Alvarado, who had ridden him to victory in his debut, was committed to Green Light Go.

Alvarado and trainer Jimmy Jerkens didn’t want to be on the lead, but Green Light Go broke so well and was moving so easily, Alvarado didn’t want to take it away from him.

“I’m just sitting there, sitting there, sitting there,” Alvarado said. “When he turned for home it’s not like he stopped, he kept running. That other horse was just very good today.”

Green Light Go finished second by a neck over Big City Bob. He was followed, in order, by Gozilla, Alpha Sixty Six, and Truculent. Three Technique scratched due to a lung infection.