Tiz the Law sharp in final Breeders' Cup Classic workout
With one week until the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tiz the Law turned in his final major piece of work at host track Keeneland on Saturday morning. Both he and expected Classic foe Higher Power were among the fastest workers on a busy morning at Keeneland that saw more than two dozen Breeders' Cup pre-entrants turn in their final works, with a similar number down the highway at Churchill Downs.
Tiz the Law, working on the fast main track immediately after the renovation break with Heather Smullen aboard, went five furlongs in 59.20 seconds. It was the third-best of 27 moves at the distance for the morning. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20.
“I saw just what I wanted. He went perfectly,” trainer Barclay Tagg said.
The winner of this year's Florida Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes, Tiz the Law was second as the favorite in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, then bypassed the Preakness Stakes to train up to the Breeders' Cup. This was the second Keeneland work for the colt since arriving back in Kentucky from his Belmont base. He went six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Oct. 23.
"I thought he needs to get a good feel of this track, he has never run over it,” Tagg said. “He has to run against older horses; it's going to be a tough race."
Earlier on Saturday, Higher Power, winner of last year's Pacific Classic but winless this season, tuned up for the Classic with a five-furlong work in 58.80, the second-fastest of the morning.
“I liked the way he came back from it,” said assistant trainer Juan Leyva, who was aboard for trainer John Sadler. “He was blowing a little bit, but not out of this world. His level of fitness has really progressed here.”
Leyva was also aboard Breeders' Cup Distaff pre-entrant Ollie's Candy, who is multiple Grade 1-placed this season, as she worked six furlongs in 1:11.
“I talked with John last night and he said she needed a good work,” Levya said. “It was a little quick, but she did it well.”
Also working for the Distaff at Keeneland - as the race favorites Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver breezed down the highway at Churchill Downs - was Harvest Moon, who went five furlongs in 1:01.
While those works for the Classic and Distaff, respectively, came from horses working solo, some trainers chose to put their Breeders' Cup candidates for various races together, working on dirt as well as on turf later in the morning. Into Mystic (Turf Sprint) and Midnight Sands (Dirt Mile) worked together, going in 48.20 and 47.20, respectively, for trainer Brendan Walsh. The trainer's Extravagant Kid worked in 42.80 in company with Plus Que Parfait.
On the work tab for trainer Doug O’Neill were Wildman Jack (Turf Sprint) and Hot Rod Charlie (Juvenile), who worked five furlongs in 1:01.20.
Also working half-miles on the main track at Keeneland on Saturday morning were Chaos Theory (Turf Sprint) in 47; Vequist (Juvenile Fillies) in 47.20; Bodenheimer (Juvenile Turf Sprint) in 47.80; Keepmeinmind (Juvenile) in 48; Raging Bull (Mile) in 48.20; Front Run the Fed (Turf Sprint) in 48.20; Dreamer's Disease (Juvenile) in 48.40; Jesus' Team (Dirt Mile) in 48.40; Lady Prancelot (Filly and Mare Turf) in 49.20; Bon Raison (Sprint) in 49.80; and True Timber (Dirt Mile) in 50. Madone (Juvenile Filles Turf) worked five furlongs in 1:01.40
On the turf course later in the morning, Wesley Ward worked Golden Pal, the expected favorite for the Juvenile Turf Sprint, five furlongs in company with After Five, a fellow pre-entrant in that race. Going on a turf course officially rated good after rain throughout Thursday in Lexington, After Five was clocked in 1:05 and Golden Pal was timed in 1:05.20. Following that duo were Ward's Campanelle (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Outadore (Juvenile Turf), who worked together in 1:08 and 1:07.60, respectively, as both prepare to stretch out in distance at the Breeders' Cup.
"Both horses have different demeanors," Ward said. "Campanelle is really laid back, easygoing; nothing bothers her. She's so fast, but she's got a really great mind and is a really relaxed-type horse. Outadore is a little bit the opposite. He's kind of a charged-up guy, and he wants to go, so we've been putting her in front and trying to get him to settle. Both horses are getting exactly what I want out of the works."
The only other turf worker on the morning was Leinster (Turf Sprint), who went a half in 49.40.
The Japanese-based duo of Pingxiang (Sprint) and Jasper Prince (Dirt Mile) worked three furlongs, going in 36.40 and 37, respectively. Although they had the shortest works on the morning, they spent the most time out and about of any of the Breeders' Cup horses. After jogging and working, they back-tracked through the tunnel and into the walking ring and saddling paddock, where they proceeded to walk several laps before heading home.
While the Japanese horses arrived several days ago, the first European horses arrived late Friday night, with 23 horses settling in to the quarantine barn. The group, which was led by English and Irish classic winners Kameko (Mile) and Siskin (Mile), will clear quarantine Sunday evening and be eligible to train on Monday morning.
27 Breeders' Cup works at Churchill Downs
An extremely busy Saturday morning at chilly Churchill Downs was highlighted by a slew of important pre-race works from top Breeders’ Cup hopefuls, including BC Distaff favorites Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl.
Over a track that was rated fast throughout the morning, Swiss Skydiver went five furlongs in a minute flat with jockey Robby Albarado up. Trainer Kenny McPeek said afterward that the 2020 Preakness winner will run in the Distaff, as opposed to trying male rivals again in the Classic, for which the 3-year-old filly was also pre-entered. Entries for all BC races will be drawn Monday.
Monomoy Girl went in company with her Brad Cox-trained stablemate, Owendale, a BC Dirt Mile pre-entry. Never asked for much by Florent Geroux, Monomoy Girl went five furlongs in 1:01 ahead of what could be the final start of her brilliant career. Owendale was credited with a time of 1:01.20.
Four confirmed starters in the richest BC race, the $6 million Classic, also were out for Saturday work at Churchill. Tom’s D’Etat went a half-mile in 50.40 seconds; By My Standards, five furlongs in 59.20 seconds; Global Campaign, five furlongs in 1:00.40; and Title Ready, a half-mile in 48.40 seconds.
The only other works credited as five furlongs among the huge BC contingent were for the McPeek duo headed for the Juvenile Fillies on Friday – Simply Ravishing went in a minute flat and Crazy Beautiful went in 1:01.
All other works were listed as half-miles. They were: Arklow (Turf), 49 seconds; Beau Recall (Mile), 50.40 seconds; Bell’s the One (Filly and Mare Sprint), 47.60 seconds; Casa Creed (Mile), 47.20 seconds; Factor This (Mile), 48.80 seconds; Got Stormy (Turf Sprint), 48.80 seconds; Harvey’s Lil Goil (Filly and Mare Turf), 47.20 seconds; Hog Creek Hustle (Sprint), 47.80 seconds; Knicks Go (Dirt Mile), 48.20 seconds; Lady Kate (Distaff), 48.20 seconds; Mr Freeze (Dirt Mile), 50.40 seconds.
Also: Mr. Money (Dirt Mile), 48.60 seconds; Sally’s Curlin (Filly and Mare Sprint), 48.60 seconds; Sconsin (Filly and Mare Sprint), 48.80 seconds; Silver Dust (Dirt Mile), 49 seconds; Texas Wedge (Turf Sprint), 49.80 seconds; War of Will (Dirt Mile), 48.20 seconds; and Whitmore (Sprint), 48.80 seconds.
In all, 27 works were posted at Churchill as the vast majority of starters in the 37th Breeders’ Cup here and elsewhere completed their main preparations.
– additional reporting by Marty McGee