With Travers two weeks off, Tiz the Law works five furlongs

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - 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.

Under exercise rider, Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law worked five furlongs in 1:00.48, getting his last quarter of a mile in 24.25 seconds. He had a steady gallop out of six furlongs in 1:13.87, seven furlongs in 1:27.26, and completed a mile in 1:41.16 in his penultimate move prior to the Travers. In the stretch, Tiz the Law had to come inside another horse who was galloping too close to the rail, but neither Smullen nor Tiz the Law flinched.

The work was the second for Tiz the Law, this year's Belmont Stakes and Florida Derby winner, since coming to Saratoga. Though last week’s five-furlong move was slightly faster (59.63 seconds), trainer Barclay Tagg felt the track Saturday was a little deeper in spots.

:: Play Saratoga with DRF! Visit our Saratoga shop for DRF PPs, Picks and Clocker Reports:

Tagg said he wanted Tiz the Law to go in 12-second increments for each eighth of a mile “and then gallop out pretty strongly and it all worked out,” he said.

"The track still has some variance to it; it’s a little deeper in spots,” Tagg said. “It was all within a tick or two of what we wanted. Just out of common practice I wanted him to go a little stronger today than last week and a little farther. I think he got everything out of it I wanted him to.”

Tagg said Tiz the Law will have a sharp half-mile next weekend, about a week out from the Travers.

Nominations to the Travers were to close Saturday. Among those expected are Caracaro, Country Grammer, Max Player, and Uncle Chuck.