Tiz the Law

Constitution – Tizfiz, by Tiznow

Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm ($110,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling purchase by Jack Knowlton)

Like every trainer in the country, particularly those with Kentucky Derby prospects, trainer Bill Mott is trying to find a path forward for Modernist without having all that data he’ll need regarding potential prep races, or when racing will return to some semblance of normalcy.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

“To even try to plan for anything beyond tomorrow is a little bit ridiculous right now,” Mott said.

With Fountain of Youth winner Ete Indien scheduled to run in the Florida Derby on Saturday and Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Sole Volante being pointed to the Arkansas Derby, trainer Patrick Biancone has had a great year so far, but no victory will top a personal milestone he achieved earlier this week, when he was pronounced cancer-free after having his left kidney removed a few weeks ago.

WHO’S HOT

Wells Bayou and Ny Traffic earned 100 and 40 points, respectively, for their one-two finish in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday and have moved onto the Derby Watch top 20 list. Wells Bayou impressed Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee enough to make him the co-fifth choice at 12-1 for the Kentucky Derby, now scheduled for Sept. 5. Ny Traffic is 50-1 on McGee’s line.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Two of the leading contenders for Saturday’s Grade 1 Florida Derby, Tiz the Law and Independence Hall, turned in their final preps for the meet’s marquee event at virtually the same time albeit 40 miles apart, shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby, 1 3/16 miles, Fair Grounds, March 21, 2020
(100 Derby qualifying points for a win, 40 for second, 20 for third, 10 for fourth)
Winner: Wells Bayou, by Lookin At Lucky
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Owners: Clint Gasaway, Lance Gasaway, Madaket Stables LLC, and Wonder Stables
Beyer Speed Figure: 91

Trainer Brad Cox saved the best for last. On what turned out to be the final day of the Fair Grounds meet, Cox holed out the card by sweeping the final three Grade 2 stakes, including the $1 million Louisiana Derby with Wells Bayou, whose front-running victory gave Cox four victories out of the day’s 12 races.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park announced Saturday it will cut the purses for five stakes races on next Saturday’s card, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby, which will be reduced from $1 million to $750,000. Other cuts will be made for the Grade 2 Pan American and Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, both reduced from $250,000 to $200,000, as well as the Sanibel Island and Cutler Bay stakes, both down from $125,000 to $100,000.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in a special meeting Thursday approved a request by Churchill Downs to run from Sept. 1-Sept. 5 in order to accommodate the rescheduled date of the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs announced Tuesday that it had postponed the Kentucky Derby until Sept. 5 due to the coronavirus outbreak. The track was not approved to race on that date, but Churchill officials had said Tuesday that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission had backed the postponement and was expected to approve a request for additional dates.

Before the long Fair Grounds season started, both the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby had their distances increased for this year’s Kentucky Derby prep season. In the past week, that has turned out to be a metaphor for this unprecedented Derby season. Who can go the distance? We’ll find out, in the long run.